The Reality of Dreams
by SilverChibiAngels
Summary: Three brothers; three keys: one fate. They thought themselves only children. That is, until a deadly secret altered their realities. They find that the dreams that make you, can just as easily break you. "Dreams aren't fiction, not anymore." - Jonas - Collab between Silvereye Angel and Chibiyugixyami
1. Prologue: Dexroxia

**Chibiyu: **_Hi! Silvereyed angel and I are FINALLY doing a collab with each other! Woot!_

**Silver: **_Are you excited? Chibiyugixyami and I certainly are! Now we get to bring evilness to you, together!_

**Nick**_**:**__ I'm not very excited._

**Silver:** _That's the point!_

**Chibiyu: **_Sorry Nicholas, you know us. We do love you, but we love torturing you too. On to the story!_

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_**The Reality of Dreams**_

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_Summary:_

_3 brothers, 3 keys, 1 fate. They thought themselves only children, until a deadly secret altered their realities. They find that the dreams that make you, can just as easily break you. "Dreams and reality aren't supposed to mix. It's like oil and water, it's impossible for the two to coexist. It ends up in one giant mess. "To save what remains of their ripped family and to save the fate of2 worlds, two brothers have to believe the impossible and the third must figure out which reality is real. "Dreams aren't fiction, not anymore."_

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_Prologue: Dexroxia_

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"What choice do I have?" _I bitterly responded to the man's voice. He knew my situation. He knew that if I didn't do this, everything around us would collapse. Everything would die, just like our parents had. He knew that every single thing that was alive or dead, steel or dirt, water or air, would vaporize into nothing unless I did this. Unless I became the balance. _

"You can still say no. Once I do this, there is no turning back."

"I can't say no!" _I yelled, clenching my fists tightly, knowing very well I wouldn't intimidate this man. _"I am giving up everything I have just gotten back to save everything on this earth that didn't give a flying thing about me before this! I freaking know that _I can't go back." I spat out, glaring at his fake sympathy. _"I may not want to do this, to fix the mess you have caused, to help you after what you've done to me, but like I said before, I don't have a choice."  
_After all, reality and dreams were never meant to combine. He threw out the balance of the two, thinking that the world would be a better place if he ripped me from the childhood I should've had to make all dreams become reality. Thinking that a person only had happy dreams with fairy tale endings. But I could've told him he was mistaken, that he forgot to factor in the nightmares. He forgot how different people are and how some are plain evil. He never learned it the hard way, until now. He was only thinking of his child and her happiness instead of the well being and lives of the other 6 billion people on the planet. He wasn't thinking about how he was about to doom the earth. _

_And I was the only one willing to fix it. _

_I watched him nod as I sat in the cold metal chair, watching him with hawk like eyes as he limbered over to me. _  
"Do you have the keys to unlock it?" _He whispered and I produced the two metal necklaces form my pocket, having stole them from their previous holders in the dead of night. And I took the third from around my neck. He looked at them as if they were precious gems. _

"All three of them, I can't believe it. The keys of my great-grandfather. The key to open the seal." _He whispered, his duel coloured eyes switching from me to the three pendants. _

"Our keys." _I told him, snatching them back as he tried to grab them. I was fond of this necklace, as were they, and I didn't want to lose it. _

"You will get it back, I promise, but I need it to open the tearing seal." _I dropped the three chains into his awaiting hand and watched him walk over to the middle of the old warehouse. Lay them in the middle of the circle and move them around until I heard a faint click. He started giggling like a manic as a bright shine lit up the entire room. _

"It is done!" _He ran over to me and hung my pendant around my throat. "Go now, but remember what is real and what is not. The balance is disturbed and nothing is what it seems now that we've opened the portal." His arms rested on my shoulders for a minute, as I glared into his eyes. __  
__Then he roughly pulled me towards the light._ "Dreams aren't fiction. Not anymore."

_He pushed me towards the portal and I felt it engulf me like a soothing fire. My eyes still fixed on his face, longing for the world I entered, longing for the nightmares. The last thing I heard was a whisper of his unfitting voice;_ "I really do hope you'll live."

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**What did you guys think? **


	2. Unconsciously

**Chibiyu: **_this is the actual start of the story, where it all begins_

**Silver:** It's yummy brotherly angst! gotta love that!

**Nick:** Actually...**  
**  
**silver: **Hush now, the chapter's here!

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**November; 11, year of 1992. St. Nicholas day. New Jersey, United States of America.**

A man, a man that would seem ordinary to a passant, walked through the snow-covered streets in a hurry. He _was_, of course, a normal man but one with a secret, like every other person has. His secret, however, was far from normal. This didn't change the fact that Mr. Lucas expected anything out of the ordinary to happen in his average life.

He had his beautiful wife named Sandy, and the three adorable little boys he proudly called his sons. Kevin, the oldest, was five and had inherited the mess of curly dark hair on top of his chubby little head. Little Joe was three at the time, and as fussy and hyperactive as ever. Then, there was tiny Nicholas, born a little prematurely and now good two months of age. Tom Lucas couldn't wait to get home to family. So with his briefcase in hand, he quickened his step, eagerly awaiting the loving hug from Kevin, the scowl from Joe when he didn't got a hug first, the wide eyes of Nick as he would stare up at his father in wonder and mostly; the kiss from his wife.

Mr. Lucas worked as a researcher for an archaeological findings and excavation company. His department was a governmental branch for rare artifacts and he loved every moment he spent with the pieces of history, even though he would miss the smell of Sandy's perfume. It isn't much a surprise when we find him merrily whistling a tune as he wonders about the discoveries on his latest and secret project. It was such an honor that he was the one who got to work with it and he was almost saddened by the fact that he couldn't tell his wife about it. It was truly an amazing discovery that may change everything mankind knew about the world and physics. But it was crucial that the secret never left the office. Well, almost never.

He turned onto his street; Jonas St, the place where his family was waiting for his return. They only recently moved here and he was quite happy with the little place. It was perfect for the boys to run around in and equally perfect so for Nick to actually sleep through the night. He shook his head, laughing at himself because he knew that Nick sleeping through the night was just a wish that would never come true in the near future. After all, Joe would always poke him until he woke up, hollering, just because he was fascinated by his little brother. He would, if this event would occur again tonight, open the door, unable to not smile at the thought of guilty Joe looking at him, regret on his face, while Nick would continue to sob.

He laughed again as he opened the house's front door. He expected to smell the scent of a home-cooked meal, Joe's laughter and the futile attempts of Kevin to get baby Nick to laugh. But he walked into a dark room, everything was silent. Where was everyone?

He jumped when something cold, something sharp and something very lethal was pressed into the skin of his neck as he was grabbed from behind.

_"_Hello Dr. Lucas." A cold voice hissed in his ear. His attacker's hot breath making Tom Lucas shiver in the cold room. "Where is the key?" The Key? The scientist froze. How did he know? Wait _the_ key... just one.  
He didn't know, he hadn't used plural. He didn't about the others. The secret wasn't entirely lost yet.

"Where is my family?" Tom demanded, forcing himself to remain strong. If he wasn't, he would never find out what happened to those he loved.

The voice chuckled and the grip tightened. "Don't worry about them. They are safe and they will continue to be, as long as you tell me where the key is."

He couldn't do that! The three keys had to be kept safe. His sons had to be kept safe. He gave them the keys yesterday, passing them down for safe keeping and in hopes that if he didn't figure out their unknown abilities, their creative minds would. But how could this man know about them? Tom found them, was given them by his department, along with detailed letters, only a month ago. And he finished the keys exactly one week before today. How did this man know this?

"I know you finished the key, Tom. Just give it to me and you will be able to walk away, safe from harm, with your family." He whispered but Tom couldn't give him this kind of power, this kind of knowledge. The letters warned him of the keys falling into the wrong hands and what could happen if they did.  
And this man, his attacker, Tom didn't need to see his face to know that he was the wrong person to be the Keyholder.

"Never." Tom whispered finality in his determined voice. "You will never get the key."

The stranger growled and pressed the knife further into his neck. "Very well then. I guess young Nicholas will grow up without a father...or a mother." And then the weapon sliced open his throat, and Mr. Lucas was dead before the killer could wipe his blade.

**December; 4, the year of 1992. Somewhere in the state of New-Jersey.**

The CEO of the New Jersey child services opened his eyes in utter shock at the news, staring at the young employee that brought it. His hand rose to his throat to unfasten his tie.

"T-three kids? Without any sign of parents? Abandoned on our porch?" He repeated, astonished, his heart breaking for the three. "Are you positive? In this weather?"

"Y-yes sir," the young man said, his voice wavering along with the sorrow in his eyes. "Three boys, one barely three months old. The other two are three and five, sir." He informed his boss, who nodded and shook his head. It never got any easier for him to hear about these kids, so alone and afraid. It was the downside of helping them.

"Very well." The CEO sighed and turned from his desk, looking out the window, not seeing the green landscaping in front of him. "I have never before seen something like this. They are so young... We need to find them good homes. As soon as we can. Preferably within the state." He nodded, happy with the hasty plan.

"Will they stay together?" His employee asked concerned, already saving up for swallowing. He knew it happened, they both did and hated it; splitting up families.

"You know I can't answer that. I shall try, but I can't guarantee anything. It's the parents' decision." The employee nodded at his boss's statement. He knew it all too well. Some kids got lucky and stuck together forever, but others... they were forced apart, tears in their eyes and long lasting shatters in their hearts.

"But sir! They are brother's... you should see how the oldest holds his youngest brother. They can't be split up!" The daring employee tried again. He'd immediately fallen hard for the trio.

"I said I would try!" The boss nearly yelled, losing patience in his frustration. He wished he could help them, he wished he could so badly. Three brothers, all so young, so alone...how could he do this the right way?

"Alright sir, but please, at least let them keep their necklaces." The boss turned around at those words, looking at his employee, Marks, in confusion.

"What necklaces Mr. Marks?"

"Sir, they each are wearing a necklace with a pendant. It's the only real possession that they have." Marks patiently explained to his boss.

"Very well. Make sure the keep those then." The Boss turned again, picking up a folder. Choosing to dismiss the case for now. "Now, has the Beckett case been handled properly?"

**-1993-**

Life went on and despite the CEO's attempts, our three brothers were separated. Nick was the first to go; young babies were always high in demand. The family that adopted him, Addison and Carl Lester, were a happy young couple with a wish for a child, but seemingly unable to get one of their own.  
But as said, life again went on and when Nicholas got a terrible cold in the winter time, the Lester's drove him to the hospital. On the way back they hit a patch of black ice and slid into the oncoming traffic. Addison and Carl were gone immediately. Nick, sitting safely strapped in the back, survived, without as much as a scratch.

But fortunately for young Nicholas, a young girl, shivering and crying herself, happened to be walking at the side of the road at the time of the crash. She ran over and discovered the deaths of all the drivers and frantically called the police. But before she could even dial the number, young Tynisha saw the most beautiful baby in the world, crying and coughing, cold and alone, with a silver necklace around his chubby neck. Memories of her own blood-covered boy, so cruelly taken away from her clouded her eyes and her hands reached for him.

When, eventually, the police arrived, all they only found an empty baby-chair.

The middle brother, Joe, was devastated when Nick got taken away and the three-year-old shut everyone out, even Kevin, and refused the help of the nurses. But when an infertile noblewoman found him crying under a lunch table, it wasn't long until Joseph Adam Lucas became Joseph Adam Dean and he would grow up to be the only heir to his new mother's fortune. They moved back home to her mansion in England. The Lady Dean loved her new son and romantic hearted as she was, let him keep the silver pendant around his neck.

The eldest brother, Kevin, didn't remain calm when he suddenly was alone. But he, unlike his brothers, cried in silence and utterly alone. No one noticed the toddler's pain. Kevin thought he would never be adopted, though he was a little angel, according to the nurses. No one wanted older children.

But one day, against all odds, a raven haired man came and claimed Kevin as his own. Kevin hated this man, for he scared the youngling to death and he begged the nurses to let him stay with them to help with the other kids like he always did. But his wishes weren't answered. Kevin Percy Lucas became Kevin Percy Jones.

Kevin would have been better off in the orphanage, for this man turned out to be one of those sick twisted demons who made his money by child-trafficking. He managed to sell Kevin to a farmer's family in northern-Italy. But fate graced Kevin with luck; the wife of the farmer loved him dearly and the husband was always looking for ways to brag about how perfect little Kevin was. So it was only natural that when they found the necklace, they took it as a token of luck and accepted him as one of their many own.**  
**  
Being the oldest, Kevin went through life with memories of his parents and his little brothers, and they still haunted him, no matter how hard he tried to move on. His dreams were plagued with them calling out to him, whether warning him to stay away or begging him to be with them again. Kevin had no idea what they meant with 'stay away'. It just made him sad as he worked.

Joe had some scattered memoires of Kevin and Nick, but his parents were lost to him. He only knew his adoptive mother and over time, he seemed to forget that he was adopted. But there was always something that seemed to be wrong with his picture. The disembodied voices that floated in and out of his dreams, the shadows on the floors and walls in the endless hallways of his home always seemed to spell out their names; _Nick. Kevin. Joe. _

Nick always knew that he wasn't with his original family; he just didn't know he knew. He had no recollections of his brothers or parents and nothing but the silver necklace around his neck.  
But when night fell, everything he needed was there. Everything he had forgotten seemed to come to life and every longing seemed to be filled. In his dreams he knew he wasn't Nicholas Jerry Thompson, or even Nicholas Jerry Lester. In his dreams, he knew that he was Nicholas Jerry Lucas.

The three of them didn't know about one another, or they at least didn't know where the others were. Separation killed their memories, though not their bonds. They longed for something they didn't know.

They also didn't know that one man, one desperate man, was looking for them and their unique abilities. They didn't know that that man would go to all lengths to find them. They didn't know they were subconsciously involved in something bigger then just their messed up lives. For the pendants around their necks held a secret that none of them would ever have believed if it weren't for the happenings that surrounded the man who searched for them. The nearly identical necklaces were the key to saving lives; and not only their own.

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_So guys, what do you think?_


	3. Dreams of Nick

**_NICK_**

**Chibiyu: **_The next three chapters are going to be about the brothers separate lives. Silv and I are writing these chapters together before we move on to writing every other chapters. _

**Silver:**_We started writing this before we even started editing the previous one… how awesome does that make us? Or rather, how Nick-obsessed does that make us?___

**Nick:**_ It just makes you highly dangerous._

**Both: **_-shrug- we can deal with that. _

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**The fifth of August, 2010. A small town in the state of New-Jersey.**

**NICK**

He slid his gloves over his toned hands as he walked through the dirty alleyway, flicking his way to long black curling hair out of his face as his strut became more confident with each passing step. His jeans were ripped as was his black leather jacket, but it only made him look rougher, tougher, more respectable in the eyes of his people. Which was exactly what he needed considering as he wasn't heading to a dinner party. Around his neck was a silver pendant, his sign, with a silver dog tag hanging next to it.

"Nick." Came a voice from the darkest of the shadows. He only slightly turned his head as his long time friend and partner jumped down from where she was stationed, which happened to be on top of a dumpster. Her ripped loose T-shirt revealed her stomach as her baggy jeans hung low on her hips. A tattoo of black roses travelled from her waist, over her back to her shoulder on the other side, Nick had already seen it multiple times and therefore, didn't spare the elaborate ink a second glance.

They walked towards the metro station together, only sharing silence. _Show no weakness. _  
They started attracting a lot of anxious and scared looks as they walked passed the people whom waiting for their metro as they jumped down into the shaft. They knew there wouldn't be another train for at least 10 minutes, so they had no free of walking along the cold metal rails and plunging into the complete darkness ahead of them. Walking over the old 3rd rail, they disappeared from sight, mind, and from normal society itself. After ten minutes of walking in silence, with only the _thuds _of their footsteps to accompany them, they reached a turn that would be missed by the untrained feet and eye. They didn't even blink as they entered the world they easily called theirs.

Nick swung his arm possessively over Macy's shoulder, making sure none of the tattooed, pierced and bare-chested low-lives tried anything on her, or on himself. They walked through the wide empty tunnel, not even noticing all the chaos in rappers and fighting and the smell of sweat was lost to them because that was the one smell they experienced every day. But the noise, they never got used to the noise. They never got used to the blaring music, the laughter, the screams, the various other sounds of the conversations in the background. All around break-dancers and street-dancers were showing their unique styles. Some guys and the tomboy-girls were punching the old and torn punching-bags as two men walked in a circle around each other, knifes in hand. Some youngsters, cigarettes hanging out of their mouths, sat together as their heads simultaneously followed Nick and Macy, who were headed to the far end of the cave, where the leaders hung out.

"DarkSinger, you're late." A scrawny boy with a black-eye yelled at Nick, smiling and showing off his missing tooth.

"Shut up Chad, I come whenever I want." Nick spat at the boy, barely fifteen.

_Show no weakness_

"DarkSinger, Nightcat." Another voice called from above. Nick and Macy didn't even wince when a tall, white-blond haired guy jumped down from upon a crate, landing inches from them. Needless to say, they were both too used to this routine to care.

"Xavier." Nick said to him coolly, calling him with his group name. He eyed the guy up and down, sizing him up as he always did, laughing to himself when he found out he could still beat this guy up with one fist tied behind his back.

"Don't be like that DarkSinger." Xavier said, laughing his crooked laugh. He probably thought he could take Nick in a one to one fight. Nick almost laughed at that idea. Xavier's real name was Thom. He was a trouble-maker, the worse kind. He loved hurting and annoying others, for no reason whatsoever. Nick had always referred to him as slightly insane.

"Fuck off, Xavier." Nick growled, walking next to the guy that was practically his right hand man.

Xavier laughed, his white hair shaking around. "Someone's touchy today." But he obviously didn't care so why burden him with the knowledge?

Nick chose not to comment and kept on walking. Of course he was bothered today. How could he not be? And when wasn't he bothered? He was 17 and he had so many things on his mind, so many things to take care of, and so many lies that he had to see through, and this was all just one day of his life. And to top it all off, he may be going insane. No, it wasn't from the life he rally had no choice but to live, it was from the dreams he endured every night. It was moving from the content and happiness of the dream back into the cold harsh world. It was moving from the cold darkness of a nightmare, only to wake up and realize that even they seemed better than this life.

Nick looked at the ceiling, using his bored guise to hide the turmoil going on behind his eyes.

His eyes locked with Macy, as they both ignored Xavier's rant about how he'd stolen a load of drugs and weapons from unsuspecting cops, timely letting Chad pipe up to flatter stroke his ego.  
Her eyes, though dark as they seemed in the shadows, questioned him in her own silent way. He stared right back, feeling strands of his unwashed hair fall in his face. He didn't bother move them as he softly squeezed her shoulder.

_It's all right, show no weakness. _

Then, he walked towards their space, pulling her with her and while he was at it, kicking a gal out of the chair he wanted. _Sorry, kid. _  
He sat down sideways and pulled Macy in his lap, the only way to protect her; Chad sat down at his feet, looking at him with admiration, while Xavier just merely stared at the guy happening to be sitting next to Nick, before he fell down with a satisfied huff as he disappeared.

It was a fragile hierarchy and Nick knew that half the guys and quite some girls within the conveyance of the cave would love to drive their knives through his chest to get in his place.  
He casted a glance through their semi-circle, before he turned to the girl on his left.

"Tell me, what has happened since I last graced you with my presence?" He smirked, hating the grin on his face with almost as much passion as he hated the dreams.  
She was one of _those_ girls. A short skirt, revealing shirt and just a little too much cheap make up. Her hair was prettily done up and her lips pulled into a seductive smirk as he spoke to her. He tried not to be annoyed with her glare towards Macy.  
_At least she's real_. He satisfied his annoyance with a mental exclaim.

"We're having some problems with the Chills." She said and she slyly smirked as a growl rumbled through the circle. "They've dared to enter our territory." She adjusted her position so her endless legs were sprawled over the armrest of her chair, she was clearly enjoying herself.

"We'll kick their filthy asses!" A skinhead hissed, toying with the black gun at his belt. Multiple yells of encouragement were his reward and a punker-girl next to him flicked her fluorescent pink hair out of her face as she sneered. "How dare they cross the lines we set?"  
More grumbles and anger-filled voices erupted from their circle and Nick watched it for a minute, slightly amused, though no emotion reached his face.

Slowly, he rose his hand in the air, the commotion immediately stopped. "Kat, darling." She almost purred when he once more addressed her. "_Have_ they crossed the lines?" He didn't believe they had, not really. The Chills were too small of a group, merely existing out of the need to survive. You couldn't survive on your own in this part of town. He also didn't believe he could keep his Administration from erupting much longer; they'd been caged for too long.

So he glared at Kat when she softly said. "I'm not quite sure."

He felt rotten when he said it, but he knew much worse could happen if he didn't give them the violence they wanted now.

_"We'll teach them a lesson anyhow." _

He apologetically nudged Macy off his lap and he saw her displeased expression as she darted towards their crate, knowing he'd come to her after this was over.

"We'll show them nobody messes with the Administration." Nick raised his voice and with him, the screams of the circle raised with enthusiasm for the upcoming gang fight.

"The chills have disrespected us." He yelled towards the rest of the cage and he hated the feel of all the eyes on him, knowing they would haunt him. Knowing the eyes of those innocent children would haunt him. "We shall teach them their place."

He stalked off, straight through the cave, not paying attention to anything but the exit, keeping his eyes focussed so they wouldn't show emotion. He heard the excitement behind him, as young hands scraped their knives over the old walls to sharpen them; he heard the tics of the wooden sticks as their owners tested them. He knew it and hated it, but he knew he had to lead them. He knew it was the only way to keep them from turning on him.

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_**Time Skip!**_

"Its fine, no-one died, at least." Macy's voice was soothing as she softly stroked his hair.

"They're like animals." He whispered. "A bunch of supervised animals."

They were hidden within the shadows of Nick's apartment-building, the dull grey and battered walls towering over them as they whispered. Nick was leaning against the destroyed mailboxes, Macy's arms wrapped around his waist in comfort as he leaned his chin on the top of her head.

"But they're smart animals, Nick." She was the only one allowed to call him that, apart from his family. "They're watching us, they're watching you. _Show no weakness_, remember? You can't let them know you don't like it. They have the real power, they'll hurt you, me, our families when we break the code." She tugged softly on the chain of his pendant. "It's going to be okay, we just have to stay strong. It's them or us." Her final sigh ghosted over his throat and he closed his eyes, feeling calm for the first in a very long time.

It seemed like he was constantly on edge these days, holding up his reputation with the Administration. Playing the persona they wanted him to play. Protecting his family, Macy and himself. Making sure his family wouldn't be caught up in the gang-life and would be free from the dangers normal families experienced here. Making sure there was enough for them to eat. Even at night, he couldn't find rest, when he was lost in the world of haunting dreams.

They weren't even those kinds of nightmares that helped you deal with shit in your life. No they were always different, always beyond anything that Nick could've come up with. Endlessly creative in torturing him until he woke up and had to muffle his screams into his pillow. And every time it took him ages to realise it wasn't real, that he was in his smelly, dirty old room, caught up in the nightmare that was his life.

"You're dead, NightSinger!" A voice behind him roared and Nick took one final sniff of Macy's hair before he turned around and hit the guy behind him square in his jaw, locking it so it blocked his airway and pressed the arm that held the knife against the wall behind them.

"Like hell I am." He spat into the stubbed face. "Now get the hell out of my face before I decide you're not worth it."

He wrapped his fingers around the guys chin and forced his jaw painfully, but accurately back into place.

"And next time, get the name straight, moron."

He didn't even really care as the guy ran for it, screaming he wasn't done yet with a strained voice.  
Nick kept his hand on the wall as he leaned against it, dipping his head before he looked at Macy. She was calm as ever.

"I was slow today." He noted.

"Get some sleep, then, insomniac." She told him, her voice soft and he knew she was more frightened then she'd let on.

"Sure, sure." A sigh escaped his lips as he cracked his neck and looked away. "Let's go now, before darkness really hits." He saw her nodding from the corners of his eyes, but she still approached him, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Take care." She whispered and then she was gone, eaten by the shadows. Nick smirked, almost unnoticeably, and then kicked open the door to the building.

The elevator was long out of usage, so he just sprinted up the stairs, three at a time, up to the twelfth floor. Their front door was the only one completely unscarred, thanks to Nick's position in the gang-hierarchy, but his fingers still felt the dents of when it hadn't been; before they painted it over. He tried not to think of it and the fact that he was almost as bad as the people who had beat up his front door.  
And not only his front door.

"I'm home!" He yelled, kicking off his worn sneakers so his bare feet met the cheap carpet.

"Hey, honey." Tynisha's smile looked tired when she stepped out of their small kitchen, drying her hands with a stained towel. She was still wearing her call-centre approved outfit and Nick knew she'd probably change in her nightshift waitress uniform soon. Her arms slid around his shoulder and he felt her rest her head on his shoulder for a second. He'd outgrown her when he was fourteen and now he towered above her. Carefully, he wrapped his arms around the woman's too skinny form.

"Hey mom." He whispered.

She was barely 34 and Nick knew she wasn't his biological mother and even though she had raised him in this damned neighbourhood. She'd still saved his life from the car-wreck and brought him up by her best abilities. She was everything he'd ever had, so to him, she was his mother. So it was okay she relied on him too, because through it all, he loved her, she was partially the reason he put up with it all.

"Nick!" And so was that. He released his mother to kneel down and catch the whirlwind with just as dirty blonde hair as her mother. He felt a smile creep upon his face when he spun her around and she squealed in all her nine year old excitement.

"Hey there, little sister." He said as he put her down. "Did mom cook something nice for us tonight?"

She scrunched her nose and stuck out her little pink tongue. "Noohooo! Broccoli!" Nick raised his eyebrows towards their mother.

"Again?" He whispered, trying to keep the longing for something different out of his voice. His mom was doing the best she could and he couldn't be too picky.

She shrugged apologetically, before she smiled at the two of them and Nokia, who attempted to climb in Nick's lap, pulling at his shirt with her little hands. He didn't feel joyous anymore. No matter how much he loved his little sister, the frown and the tenseness had made it's dramatic reappearance as he lifted her again, placing her on his hip.

"Be careful up there, all right?" He told her, when he saw his mom walking towards her and Nokia's shared bedroom. "It doesn't feel like a good night.

She nods and disappears, leaving him with his little sister and his worries. He looks at the trusting green eyes and knows he'll never forgive himself if anything happens to her. She's still so full of life, so full of promise. She was smart and responsible. She'd learned that from him, since their shared mother was still as carefree, but bound to a poor life, as she'd been the day she'd found him. He hoped she'd make it out of here safely, wouldn't become like Kat or even Macy, as much as he loved the petite brunette.

"Come on; let's get some of that broccoli." He said, with one last glance at the bedroom door, carrying her towards the kitchen, only vaguely wishing he'd send Chad for some takeout, knowing all the while he wouldn't have.

When their mom is long gone and Nick has made sure Nokia ate all her broccoli, he starts securing the windows; the wind up here has blown them open again. The walls are already damp because of today's warmth and the one plant that Tynisha brought in to lighten the sad apartment, had its leaves hanging weakly. Nokia lies on their old sofa, picking at one of the holes, but Nick can't find it in himself to scold her; the horrible fight has taken a lot out of him, no matter how often he and his gang-mates go to the local, sweaty-smelling gym or how many times he's hit the punching bags, hurting people is mentally exhausting and he doesn't like because he knows it won't bring any rest. His fingers touch the pendant and the dog tag around his neck and takes comfort in their presence there.

"Nick?" Nokia calls and he walks over to her, dropping down and feeling the couch creak with his pressure.

"What is it?" She looks up at him with tired eyes, before she once more climbs in his lap. He allows it, though he normally discourages her shows of affection.

"What's wrong?" She's seen his tired form by the window, obviously, but he manages to smile.

"Nothing, Noki, I'm fine." He softly wipes her hair from her face. "Your big brother's just fine."  
He hates lying to her, but he has too.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asks, snuggling her little head on his shoulder. It's something they often did when they were younger; falling asleep together and Nick wants to, because he knows her lithe form will calm him if he wakes up in distress again, it will make him realise where he is sooner, but he doesn't want to scare her if he's unable to kill his screams.

"No honey, you've gotta sleep in your own bed." He tells her.

"But it's so lonely and cold in mine!"

He puts her off his lap and walks to the door, locking it safely before he turns around and tells her it'll have to do. It's the last thing he sees when he goes to bed that night; her disappointed face after he's closed her curtains. It's hard. Almost as hard as the world outside the curtains, the world that he leads, but wants to kill him. It's the one thing he thinks of, even above the thoughts of what he'll have to do tomorrow to secure her safety.

Then he falls asleep and everything disappears as he's pulled into a world almost more frightening then the one he's left behind. One where anything can happen and one where he doesn't have even the smallest iota of power.

**_(NICK'S POV) _**

**_I opened my eyes, quickly sitting up and surveying the lightening landscape around me. Behind me, the old dead oak tree seems to shiver from the coldness of the wind. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if it had. In this world, anything could happen and anything would happen. And anything isn't always good. But where was I? I still felt the tree to my back and the cold stone beneath my feet, but everything around me seemed darker, more sinister than it was before. The shadows stretched long and far, threatening to grab me and pull me back down into their own world of darkness, and the plants, I remembered them waving merrily in the wind before I fell asleep. Now, they were still and unwelcoming. What happened here?_**

**_I stood slowly, wary of everything around me, not like that would do a thing though. I was powerless here. Not like in my dream where I was the leader of the gang-hierarchy. Here, I was just an ant, waiting to be squashed by the higher powers. I felt the stone under my feet crack as I took a hesitant step, as if warning me not to go further. And warnings took you very far here. Anyone you ran into would tell you that. That was when I noticed it again, the feeling. The feeling that something was different, something was wrong. It should be morning already, but there was no glow from the sun lighting the horizon and breathing a new life into the world. What happened since I fell asleep?_**

**_A cold blast of wind struck me in the face, causing me to stager back at the sheer force of it, but I didn't let it best my impeccable balance. My hand went to the pendant around my neck as I drew comfort from it. My mother had given it to me. She told me herself. I saw her only yesterday and then she had to leave again. But it was a relief to know that she was alive, not like how she was dead in my dream. And it was a strange dream. I always woke up in the same place and continued living the same life, like a storyline. But that can't be right. It's only a dream. This world is real. Not that one. In that world, my name was even different, so it can't be reality. _**

**_"Nicholas Lucas..." The wind seemed to whisper and I took another step forward, sensing, knowing, that something was about to happen. That I was going to figure out why the world was so dark and what terrible thing happened while I was lost in a dream. The rock under my bare feet seemed to freeze as I squared myself up and looked tall, intimidating and in control. All the plants around me that grew in the crevices of this stone mountain started to wilt, yellow, and die, right before my eyes. So, whoever was watching me, whoever did this to my home, was telling me who was boss without showing their faces. That was a sign of a coward. _**

**_"They are coming..." I looked over my shoulder as I heard the whisper, and I glimpsed a pair of green eyes before they vanished, gone with a trace. So, they are playing with me? Warning me that they are coming? But who are they? Who is coming? "Stay away from them...they are coming..."_**

_Who? Who is coming? I tried to shout out, but my tongue wouldn't work. They were doing this to me. They were maintaining my silence. I felt the air shift as they surrounded me and I tried to ready myself for a fight. I may be powerless, but I wasn't weak. _

_"Correct, you are strong. But not strong enough to best us...not alone." What did they mean? "But you are alone." What? I looked around, taking the time to notice that no one was around. Which was strange, normally this place was bustling with life and people. This was the first time I've seen it so empty. I was alone. _

_"We can't have you changing things Nicholas." Another one sneered. But changing what? What was this thing talking about? And why couldn't I see them? "Oh, you want to see us?" _

_They suddenly appeared all around me, members of those I had killed in my strange dreams, or watched die. Sjimmy was there, holding the gun that killed him, and around his shoulder was the arm of the guy who murdered him. But that can't be right, because that all only happened in my dreams before. They were friends here. We were friends here. So why were they glaring at me with such hatred and anger? _

_"We won't let you win." What were they talking about? _

_They all charged at me, me still unable to move, to protect myself, and everything seemed to hurt ten times more than it normally did. Fear took control of my mind and every single thought stream ran dry, dammed up by the mortal terror that now consumed my entire being. I couldn't scream. I couldn't fight. I couldn't live. _

_I felt every punch, every kick, and yet I couldn't feel myself breathing. I couldn't hear myself falling to the cold rock beneath me. I couldn't sense anything but the pain and the undying laughter that was all around. And then it all stopped. Until his voice came through everything. _

_"Goodbye Nick Lucas." Sjimmy whispered as he knelt over my broken and beaten body, the gun aimed right between my eyes. But I shook my head, forcing myself to find the strength to beat this living nightmare and to move. _

_"Goodbye Sjimmy." I whispered my fingers wrapping around the barrel of the gun as my friend's finger tightened on the trigger._

(THIRD PERSON)

He sat up in bed, not remembering the bullet even coming from the gun. So he escaped again. He evaded death again. And this time, he didn't wake up screaming. Nick is only slightly confused as to where he is, but that isn't because the dream was any less bad then usual, if not worse. It's because of the urgent instinct that something is wrong. It feels like knife in the stomach, only without the sharp blow to his intestines. That stings worse, but it's urgent enough to have woken him up.

He almost jumps out of his bed, his sweats low on his hips as he hurries out of his room, forcing the jamming door of his bedroom open. He sighs as he sees Nokia's sleeping form through the gape with no door that is the entrance to the young girl's room. Then he hears the knocking and he knows it isn't his mom; she has a key. Has something happened? Do they need him for gang-business? Have they planned another robbery, or worse? Is someone hurt? Is someone dead?

He suddenly remembered his dream and that was when he recalled how Sjimmy was killed in a gunfight and how he got pulled out of his bed in the middle of the night and for his revenge. He was thirteen at the time. But who could…oh god, Macy. Please, don't let it be Macy. If it is, Nick would make sure every bone in her murderers body would be brutally shattered before he finally ended it for him.

He rushed to the door and unbolted all the locks with trembling fingers, not caring about the fact that he's shirtless. The metal of his pendant and the dog-tag now ice-cold on his skin, and he can't help feeling like the pendant is colder. That something is more wrong than he suspected. He throws the door open and then quickly takes a step back when he sees an unknown man now standing before him.

He looks so out of place it throws Nick off completely. His clothes are slightly outdated and his thick red-brown hair is highly uncared for, even to Nick's standards. Mostly it was his eyes, which were dually coloured, which was unnatural. One was a stormy gray and the other was a emerald green. The contrast made Nick do a double take before he moved on from the strange orbs. His smile, which is too friendly and hopeful to go around here, or to even live until the next day in this area, was almost was out of place as the guys eyes. His body leaned towards Nick with interest and he feels himself back away from the strange man. Yes, Nick could easily disarm this man that was stares at him with slight desperation in his strange eyes, but for something reason, he didn't want to.

It's only then that Nick notices the two young men standing behind him. One in expensive looking clothes and flat-ironed hair and another with dark curls looking like he's extremely foreign here. He eyed them with suspicion, judging their appearances until he's convinced that he could take them. Nick only hoped they wouldn't find out about Nokia. Then he turned back to the man who's currently examining the metal around his neck with a questioning, annoyed, and slightly unfriendly look upon his face. Nick instantly turned on his fighting skills, glaring at the man with all the hate and anger that he held in his heart. That look, it was one Nick has seen many times on the face of one of his own, or on the enemy. Normally it meant that they didn't like him and wanted him to step down, which never once happened.

_Show no weakness. _

"Hello." The elder man says carefully and Nick was unable to defy his accent. "My name is Professor Savage. I believe your name is Nicholas, am I correct?" A voice suddenly rang through Nick's head as his eyes once again connected with the Professor's.

_They are coming. _

~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~~~()~~~~~~~()

_So, what did you think?_


	4. Dreams of Joe

_**Chibiyu: **Well we promised a day in the life of the brothers, so here is Joe's day!_

**_Silver: _**_It's a little sad-ish. But that's okay, it's Joe; He'll be just fine. i think. _

**_Chibiyu: _**_Now if it were Nick on the other hand..._

**_Silver: _**_Y__es, that would be bad.. let's get it on with the chapter, instead of hearing us blab about it! -wink-_

_DON'T OWN JONAS, JUST THE PLOT AND THE PROF!_

()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()

**__****April 28th, 2010. In a large Mansion in the UK.**

**_JOE_**

I wandered through the south eastern dim hallways. The soft fabric of the carpet tickling the undersides of my bare feet. It was still dark and the halls were shrouded in gloom, as it was early in the morning. I tried not to look at the reaching shadows and just focused on putting one foot in front of the other. I was free for at least another hour until Big Man, our head butler, would come to my room to wake me and I wanted to make the best of it. The best, in this case, meant being alone for the umpteenth time, but this time physically as well as mentally. And really; I needed the peace and quiet for once; I was always surrounded by people. People I didn't know, didn't like, or didn't trust and it got severely irritating at times for me. It was either at expensive parties I had to attend, fellow heirs having empty conversation, or aspirating riches trying to compliment their way to the top of the chain. There was always the endless chatter, weather-talks, business-talk, speaking of the new fashion-line by this person or that person, gossiping, giggling, and whispering. It filled my head like a never ending buzz of angry, stinging bees.

I sighed, loudly, for there would be no one to hear it as I reached the end of the hallway and stared through a window, twice my size. I wasn't even alarmed when I was stared at by pale-faces ancestors of the Dean bloodline, whose portraits lined the walls of the seeming endless maze of halls. I never asked for all this. I never wanted to be an heir to a rick Mistress in England. I _never _wanted this. All of this wealth and fame, I never even dreamed of it. Because with the mask of happiness in money came betrayal and loneliness. Everyone wanted to be my friend, everyone wanted a piece of me and really, I should be used to it by now. But I wasn't. This wasn't exactly something that was easy to get used too.

I sat down in the windowsill, which was big enough to hold several Joe's and probably another big man too. I drew my knees to my chest and settled down to watch the light of the rising sun creep its way up my flannel pyjamas. If only the people that admired me, who were jealous of me, could see me now.

I never knew who my friends were or who were just using me. And I couldn't tell the good hearts from the bad so I had to confine myself somewhere where society could never touch me. And I hated the fact that my confinement, my jail, was my own house. My hand slid over the ancient wall next to me. The tan of my skin, of which I never could really get rid of, contrasting with the smooth white. My very own, luxurious, marble cage.

I angrily hit the wall, as if it could help that it locked me inside and I earned nothing from the gesture except a throbbing hand, but I didn't care. I couldn't release all of my frustration in a scream in this early hour, so I opted for a hurting pinkie finger instead. The fingers of my other hand fiddled absentmindedly, which they often did when I was upset, with the pendant hanging around my neck. The strange piece of metal I never allowed to be taken from me, not even by helpful maids. My mother always thought it was a symbol of romance, but I thought otherwise. To me, this was a link, and the only one I had, to my brothers. Though I could never clearly recall their faces, as I was so young when our parents had died and we were separated, I did recall their names and their eyes. Brown as mine and similar, but oh so different, and in too many ways to count.

I wondered if they liked it, the sunrise. I wondered if they liked their lives.

Nick…how old would he be now? Sixteen? Seventeen? Was he happy? I shook my head, turning away from the rising sun to look through the ornate hall. I could only hope Nick's parents treated him well, like mine did and that he was enjoying whatever warm environment he was living in. Nick…he was so young, would he even know that he had brothers? Or would he be a happy kid, living like a prince without the constant torrent of memories reminding him of what he lost?

The sky got brighter and brighter with each passing second and I was able to look over the reigns of our property, as far as I knew, it stretched as far as I could see from the window on the third floor.

Kevin. He would be in his twenties by now. Surely he would remember his brothers. Yes, he was five when I last saw him, but that is old enough to remember and old enough to understand. I smiled, almost certain that my older brother would remember me and welcome me with open arms if he ever saw me again. But Kevin, by now he was at the age where he could be married and start a family. Would he want his younger brother to barge in and disrupt his life? He was probably sitting on his own private hillside with his wife, holding her hand and watching the very same sunrise I was considering turning my back on.

And then there was me. Alone, unhappy, and downright miserable. I knew that I should be grateful that I was adopted so quickly and into such a loving family. And I was, but lately, something was missing from my life. Lately, I was just lonely. I missed my brothers and I thought about them more and more every passing day. I missed being able to go out and have friends without them using me for my money, like I used to when my friends were too young to understand the wealth behind my name. I wanted people to see me for what I was. Or siblings to see me as just their brother. But why dwell on the past when it only brings you pain? I shook my head at the thought, knowing I would rather live in pain with the memoires than in joy without them. After all, my brothers were worth that. I couldn't just walk out and forget them. That wasn't the way I worked.

"Master Joseph?" A gruff voice called and I rolled my eyes, not averting them from the view outside.

"For the hundredth time Big Man, it's Joe. J-O-E." Honestly, how hard was it for people to call me by the right name?

"My apologies sir." I rolled his eyes at the name. Some things would never change, and what I was called was one of those things.

"I was looking for you in your room, but I was unable to find you. May I ask if everything is all right, Master Joseph? Do you need something? Socks, maybe?"

I looked down at my feet, wiggling them with slight interest and snorted. "No thanks, I'm fine, I just wanted some time for myself."

He seemed to understand, having known me for almost all my life. "Of course, Master Joseph."

"Joe."

"We don't want you to get sick though and your morning classes start within the 2 hour mark. I've had a maid prepare a bath for you, very warm, just as you prefer it."

I sighed and unfolded my legs from underneath me, standing up from my peaceful space.  
"Thank you, I appreciate it, Big Man." I replied, before making a dismissing movement with my hand.  
"I'll be checking on you within the hour, breakfast will be ready by then."  
"Thank you." I whispered, feeling like the role of 'master' and 'servant' were a little reversed here.  
He nodded, as if agreeing and stayed put until he watched me walk towards my wing.

It wasn't that I liked the role of master, though. I didn't like ordering people around like that. I felt like a slave driver. I just had to keep in mind they were just doing their job and forget that they had a family to support. A loving family to come home to. A life beyond these walls that held me captive for my own good.

I pushed open the great mahogany door that led to my rooms and quickly slipped through it, knowing my hair was tousled and I looked like a rag, but I didn't really care. I headed for the bathroom immediately, after snatching some clothes from the closet, not feeling like playing dress-up.

"Good morning, master Joseph." –"Joe."— "I prepared the bath with Aloë Vera, because you spoke of troubled airways yesterday. Your favourite shampoo has been re-filled."

"Thank you." I mumbled, not meeting the eyes of the young woman.

I knew that after the bath, there was breakfast with my mother and her associates, after which I had to attend my high-level morning classes and had meetings with several people I didn't know and usually would have no idea what they were talking about. After that, I would probably go out with either Stella, my mother or another that wanted the time. I knew that there was a garden/tea-party at the end of the day and I had to play perfect host.

I knew it and hated it.

I was glad it had been Stella that dragged my out shopping, for I didn't think I would've survived another couple of hours with someone that didn't have the slightest interest in my state of mind. My teachers were demanding my undivided attention and straight 'A' marks. My servants expected me to be the rich heir I was, instead of a human being. The men that were interested in my time did exactly that. They were interested in my money, my reputation, my high class and fame. Oh how I was disgusted by them. Didn't they realise I was human too? Someone like themselves, with emotions and a brain? A working, sensible mind? They restrained me, even here, out in the open as I watched the preparations for our evening festivities.

My hair was slightly wild, my expensive white button down opened and even though I wasn't allowed to wear sneakers to a garden-party, of course, you can guess.

I felt the breeze run over my face and heard the chattering of the personal. They were just doing their job, like I was doing mine. I shouldn't be so ungrateful, there were enough people in the world, and enough orphaned children who weren't blessed like I was.

I had a loving mother, who did everything she could to give me a happy and successful future. I had a sweet best-friend. I _did_ have someone I could trust. I shouldn't whine. I should appreciate what I have. I should see the positive side of things.

Just after I took another sniff of the open air, grateful for my mother's gesture towards my appreciation of the outsides, Big Man's gruff voice interrupted my sun-warmed thoughts. I didn't really blame him, he was just doing his job. Like I should be doing mine. My smile faltered a little.

"Your Mother and Ms. Stella are waiting for you in the parlour." I nodded, still wondering why they called the room a parlour as I set off in the right direction.

"Thanks." I called over his shoulder, remembering my manners at the last minute. As I walked, I fixed my hair once more and put on a smile, wanting to look happy for Stella and my mom. After all, if they knew I was sad, they would think I was ungrateful and Stella wouldn't find me as attractive. And I didn't want that. Stella was the only one of the few outsiders I could trust with my life, and I wasn't going to lose that.

I stopped at the large double doors and knocked three times, rolling my eyes again when Stella asked who it was.

"It's me."

"Joseph, darling, come in!" Mom called and I pushed open the door, choosing to ignore that my mom had called me 'Joseph' once again. And I also tried to keep the annoyance of her calling me that from my face.

"Good afternoon, Mother, good afternoon again, Stella." I replied dutifully, wiggling my eye brows at Stella, who laughed behind her hand.

"Estella or Ms. Stella. Honestly Joseph, where are your manners today?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes for the hundredth time in an hour and to tell my mom that we weren't living in the Eighteen hundreds. People just didn't talk like that anymore, even rich people from highlands of England.

"I am truly sorry, Mother." I was struggling to keep the sarcasm and sigh from my voice. Stella noticed and smiled at me, winking slightly before turning back to my foster Mother; Mrs. Dean. My mother was seated on the divan, her body clad in a beautiful beige-golden dress that made her warm red hair stand out even more. Her face, the face I'd known and loved since my third year of life was pulled into a soft smile as she looked up at me. I'd outgrown her by now. Then she turned to Stella, who'd obviously been talking before I interrupted.

"As I was saying before, he is a family friend of ours and he would love to meet you. He always has admired you and your work and would love to get the chance to talk to you. Since you're such a great supporter of alternative science." Stella went off again, explaining nothing even though I was completely lost. Who where they talking about?

"Oh Estella, I would love to meet him. When is he coming?" My mother gushed and Stella smiled.

"He should be here any minute now." She replied, still smiling.

"Joseph!" I jumped rather violently and turned to my mom, looking puzzled as to why she had called me like that. She was smiling, her cheeks wrinkled slightly in amusement. "Get cleaned up, sweetie, we have guests coming over." I groaned but stood up nonetheless. It was the right thing to do. For this man, whatever he did, might be someone I could have a decent conversation with.

I pushed open the great doors just as I heard my mom set down her crystal glass and Big Man rushing to light all of the candles. I walked calmly from the room, wondering who could be coming over that was so special for the candles to be lit. I sighed and shook my head, resisting the urge to blow out the candles that lined the hall I was passing through. Mother only lit the candles for the important guests, so they could be surrounded by "pleasant" scents and so they had a good first impression.  
Personally, I didn't see the point of it all. I also didn't see the person walking towards me until the very last second, right as we collided. I hit the ground rather painfully and so would he, if he hadn't grasped a near shelve.

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, looking up at the tall man with thick reddish brown hair, less pretty then mother's. My eyes immediately grew wide when I saw the strange colours of his.

"No, no, my good man, it was my entire fault." He looked around before looking down at me, making me feel uncomfortable for some odd reason. I was starred at daily, so why was this man's stare affecting me like this? "By the Gods…are _you_ Joseph?"

"Joe." I automatically corrected. I didn't want nor need another person calling me by my full name. "And who are you and why are you here?" Right now, I didn't care for manners. This man shouldn't be here. Not in the family quarters of the mansion.

"Right…I am a bit lost." He admitted, smiling sheepishly before holding out his hand. "My name is Professor Savage. I'm actually here to see Mrs. Dean, according to my lovely Estella, but I think that will have to be postponed." He leaned down, looking at me closer, causing me to shift and look away from the man's strange two coloured eyes. He seemed…weird. Kind of like he knew something about me that I didn't. "That pendant…where did you get it?"

My hand immediately rose to cover the chain around my neck, feeling the coolness of it against my palm. "My father gave it to me." I automatically responded, though I should know he wouldn't understand.

His eyebrows rose. "I wasn't aware that there was a Mr. Dean, young Joseph?" he questioned, suspiciously.

"There isn't." I hesitated for a second, before I decided it didn't matter. Think positive. "You see… I'm adopted."

His mouth formed a silent 'O' in understanding, before he frowned. The expression on his face was nearly funny. It contorted in several displays of emotion. From confused, to happy, to calculating.  
All the while, he kept eying the pendant.

"Are you then, maybe, by birth Joseph Lucas?" He asked after several minutes of staring at each other in the flickering light of the candles.

It was like the temperature dropped and my eyes widened as he spoke. How could he know?

"Y-yes." I stammered, involuntarily taking a step closer to him. "How...How did you know?"

Now he smiled, softly brushing off his suit. "Your pendant told me."

Yes, of course, be even more mysterious. It was needless to say I was on edge. How would you react when a man with knowledge of a life you barely remember suddenly walks into your life?

Yeah, that's what I thought.

"I knew your father, well for a short time, and I'm familiar with the necklaces. They are very special."  
I just kept looking at him, silently begging for more information. Screw thinking positive, screw my perfect life. This man knew things about my former life. About the family that was mine by blood. He might know...

"If I am correct, there are two more pendants out there, belonging to your siblings by blood. One older and one slightly younger then you are. Correct?" I nodded and a smile spread over his face, before it got serious.

"Listen to me, Joseph." –"Joe."— "I don't know why fate blessed me with an encounter like this. But…" He trailed off, leaving me almost gasping for more, like a fish cruelly taken out of the water.

"But what?" I didn't care my voice sounded desperate, or that someone might hear it.

"Are you familiar with Oneirology?" He said, making my snap out of the haze and pulling my eyes from his lips.

"The science of dreams?" For once, I was grateful for all the tutors I had.

"Exactly. It's my profession."

I stared at him with a dumbfounded look on my face. I was under the impression the profession was dying out.

"I study dreams Joseph." He stated, looking like he was refraining from telling me more. "Have you ever witnessed a dream where everything around you seems real, but you are still in control of your life in the dream? Like you've stepped into another reality?" I nodded slowly, still wondering where he was taking this. "I study those kinds of dreams...but there is more to it than meets the eye. With your pendant, because believe me, that pendant is worth more to someone like me then all of your mother's money." And that was a crap load of money. "With your pendant and the right...stimulation… I could find your brothers."

My eyes widened and I gaped at him. That was impossible; my mother and I had tried to find my brothers, with little to no success. He had to be kidding.

"Do I look like I'm kidding, Joseph?" Freaky guy.

"No— no you don't." Everything about this man just screamed of seriousness. Everything from the yearning look in his strange eyes to the tenseness of his posture made it obvious that this man knew what he was talking about. Or at least, he thought he did.

"Well then, should I continue or are you just going to stand their and gawk at me like I am insane?" I was gawking? I blinked once, clearing my face of any emotion other then interest, as to not insult him further.

"Please, continue." I urged and he smiled, but he did not speak on. "Please, I just want to find my brothers."

He nodded his shaggy head, looking at me in the eye. "In this business, that kind of attitude will not only keep you alive, but sane as well. Hold onto that want Joseph; it has all the power you will need."

"It's Joe." Why couldn't anyone get that right? "And what are you talking about?"

He smiled but did not elaborate. "Oh I am sure you will find out soon enough my good fellow." He looked back to my silver pendant, his eyes retracing every detail of the worn metal. "Very soon indeed." He looked down to his watch and his eyes widened. "Dear me, I am sorry, but I must go! I've kept your mother waiting for far too long! Umm...which way do I go?"

-TIME SKIP-

I lay in bed, starring at nothing, the strange Professor's words still running through my head.

"_With your pendant and the right...stimulation… I could find your brothers." _

Was it even possible? I turned to my back, starring at the heavy drape canopy that covered the top of my bed as my hand automatically held onto the pendant. Was it really possible? I closed my eyes, unable to stop thinking of all the outcomes, both good and bad. The Professor could be a maniac for all I knew...but if I could see them again…  
It was the last thought I had before I was consumed by a dream.

**_I woke up in the gardens. Or so I thought. They looked like the gardens on our property; for they had the same look of neat care and the same colors, though different at the same time. Aren't roses purple? And weren't violets supposed to be red? I watched the trees, some as large as mushrooms and some barely reaching my knee. It was strange, but it wasn't the strangest. _**_  
**I was in a garden; I was sure of that and I wasn't alone in the garden either, a fact that was quite obvious. **_

**There were people all around me, big and small, coloured and blank, in bright or dull clothes, male, female, child, elderly. All sorts of people, right there. The strange thing was, nobody was looking at the strange kid on the grass. They were just staring past me, or talking to each other. **  
**Bewildered, I rose to my feet easily. Looking around, trying to identify the faces, trying to make out which soul I might know and which I did not. The latter counted for most of them, as far as I could tell. **

**"Excuse me." I asked an elderly woman who looked like she might be a nice grandmother or something. "But where am I?" **

**_She did not answer me. Maybe something was wrong with hear hearing? Or maybe the lights in the sky distracted her? That was a very common thing, I shouldn't blame her, but it was annoying at this moment, when I wanted to know something so desperately. I left the lady to her staring and proceeded to a group of animatedly talking men, smoking large pipes. The strange thing was that I couldn't hear what they were saying. I couldn't focus on their separate words as I tried to get their attention to shift from each other to me. _**

**_"Hello? Excuse me?" I tried again, flicking my hair out of my face in nervousness. _**_  
**Maybe they couldn't hear me either? Maybe the same thing was happening to them? **  
**But then why could they hear each other, why couldn't they hear me? Maybe it was me that had something wrong with them. **_

**I walked on, starting to get nervous; what if nobody could hear me? What if I was left here all by myself?**

**"Hello?" my voice was a little desperate as I approached a group of kids, just a little younger then I was. They continued their game, skipping away from me, and laughter still on their faces as I just stood there. "Please…" I offered, staring after them, before I ran after a hurrying man, trying to clutch his dark skinned arm, but he pulled it away before I could even touch it and turned the other way, disappearing into the thickening crowd. **

**"Help me; I don't know where I am!" I addressed a woman, her pale face pretty and friendly, but she turned away cold-heartedly, her back towards me.**

**_"Anybody? Will you please…?" I spun in circles, trying to get people to talk to me. _**_  
**They were right there! They were ignoring me. Didn't they want to help me? Shouldn't they want to help me? **_

**I didn't think the colors were pretty anymore, they now seemed dull, almost gray as I ran through the crowd, trying to touch and trying to talk. The group of people was so large, how could I not come in contact with anyone. Why were they ignoring me?** **An unconscious fear crept through my body, numbing my feet until I came to a halt at exactly the place where I'd started. **

**"Somebody, please." I pleaded, almost screaming at everybody who looked the other way, like I didn't exist, like I wasn't worthy of looking at, like I was nothing. "I'm here; I need you to talk to me! I need you to see me! I'm. Right. Here!" I waved my hand in front of a baby's face. A child couldn't ignore me.** **Apparently it could, as its mother carried it away from me. **  
**I started running again, my feet barely touching the ground as I sped through the crowd. Panic in my heart. They had to see me, they had to. I needed help, I needed to find someone. **

**_But who?_**__

**I fell to my knees and it was like even this very place was ignoring me, for I felt nothing. I didn't hear animals or even the rustling of golden leaves for even the wind on my face.**

**I felt hot tears spill over my cheeks. "You can't just ignore me." I sobbed. Feeling utterly alone and abandoned. They wouldn't look at me, they wouldn't talk to me, they wouldn't let me even touch them. What had I done wrong? What had I done to deserve this? I didn't want to be alone. **

**_I lifted my chin a little when I felt a prickle in the back of my neck. Like someone was staring. _**_  
**And someone was. A boy with dark eyes and even darker curls was looking straight into my eyes and I almost sobbed in relief. **_

**"Please. Help me. I'm so alone!" I hiccupped. But even my own voice sounded far away. I could see him talk, the confusion on his face. But it was like I was underwater, or he was, and we were trying to speak through the layers of liquid. It was impossible. **

**I almost started crying again, not caring about how it would look when I noticed another boy, younger then the first, stand behind him. He looked like the first, the similar curls striking. Were they brothers?**

**Brothers…?**

**But as fast as I'd seen them, they were gone again and I was left within the crowd. Lost within the people, all alone and by myself. They'd left me to. I stumbled along all the faces, trying to find them but to no avail and I cried out. **

I woke with a start, but to my surprise, I wasn't sweaty or tangled in sheets. I was in the exact position I'd fallen asleep in. How strange, hadn't I just had a dream? A weird one? I wasn't sure. But I knew that I'd made my decision. I wanted to find my brothers, my real, biological family. I never wanted to be alone again. Ever. Don't ask me how or when I decided, but I did. I climbed out of bed with fierce determination and I grabbed a bag and mindlessly threw things in.

When I knocked on the professor's door, fully dressed and awake in the middle of the night, I wasn't completely surprised to find him equally dressed, closing a book he'd probably been reading.

"I knew you'd come around. Dreams don't lie." He said. "Do you want to find your brothers."

"More than anything."

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**Review please if you get the chance! **


	5. Dreams of Kevin

**Silver: **It's time for Kevin's story! *raises fist in the air* I was allowed by Chibiyu to have it first, so it's less angsty and you are allowed to thank me for that…

**Chibiyu: **_Silv, you can write the beginning any time you want lol. And people will think we are losing our edge if we keep downing the angst!_

**Silver: **You have Nick to entertain yourself with and honestly, they have no need to worry, with what we have planned and all... Enjoy!

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**_KEVIN_**

_**June 3rd 2010, a small farm in Northern Italy. **_

The sun sprawled golden rays over the hills and town as it rose, coloring the valley a beautiful deep orange. It was early; too early for anyone to be up, but still, the sun lit up the tanned skin of a young man. He stretched and beneath his simple shirt, his slight muscles, which he had gotten because of the years of hard labor, rippled beneath his skin.

He was smiling. Of course he was; it was his favorite time of day, aside from noon. It was the time of day where everything was completely still, if not for just one little moment. It was the end of a troubled night and the verge of a new day. The birds would start singing within moments and it wouldn't be long before the rest of his family would wake up. But for now, everything was silent and unmoving and he could pretend everything was right in the world. That everything had just been a bad dream.  
He just stood there for a moment, taking in the view and the silence.

Kevin smiled for a last time when he heard the first tweeting. His little moment was over and he walked towards the stalls, his worn boots slapping in the mud. He enjoyed the dawn for as long as it would last, for he knew that after noon, the mud would be rock-solid.

With some effort, he pushed open the great double doors and greeted the animals and rising swallows with his usual cheerful greeting, his voice only slightly cracking. He knew his father disproved of that, but his father wasn't here now; he trusted Kevin with the morning routine, now that…

Kevin shook his head, he couldn't be thinking about that.

Still shaking the images from his head, he walked towards Night's stall, where the mahogany beauty was already restlessly awaiting him. At least the horse was still here, Kevin mused. His father had wanted to sell her, but he was too occupied now. Kevin loved riding mare, as much as he loved the horse though; he knew the worn pick-up was more efficient, he always took Night on his morning routine. It took his mind of things. He saddled the impatient mare and led her to the road, pretending not to see Mario's little face behind the window, forcing a reassuring smile of confidence.

_'It will be fine, you'll see.' _It said, but Kevin himself wasn't so sure of that. How could he be?

It was like the young mare read his mood, for she was very calm today, calmer and easier to work with then he'd ever seen her. They checked all the fields in less then three hours, a personal record for the both of them, even without the pickup. Then they checked the sheep, counting them more accurately then his father did these days and he noticed another one had gone missing. He sighed; one isn't bad, for this time of year, but it still hurt him that he wasn't able to protect them.

The same feeling lingered in his heart when he returned home, where he found Castor crouched over Andreas, who cried harder then Kevin ever heard him cry, or so he imagined. It turned out to be a simple scraped knee, but the bandage looked dirtier than it should have been and he wondered how good he'd be at protecting _them_. Would he lose any of them like he'd lost the sheep or would they be separated just like his birth-family?

His hand absent-mindedly touched the token around his neck when he watched the smiles return to their identical, sun-browned faces. The token, the last link to _his_ brothers, felt ice cold against his skin.  
No matter what the people in the village might say, he has always and will always keep it close, like the memories.  
He scooped Mahtob up in his arms, placing the already dark-black haired toddler on his hip as he made his way into the kitchen. Kids need food before they go to school, he knew as much.

His cooking was divine as always, so that aspect of taking care of them didn't turn out to be a problem.  
There aren't many people who _can't_ cook in Italy, but Kevin's cooking was advanced. The waffles he made from the left over grains turned out deliciously great, or so his five brothers told him enthusiastically every time he made them and Kevin couldn't help another sad smile adorning his face as he looked at them from his position at the head of the table. They were so brave, all of them, they were keeping up. Being their cheery selves for him, because they knew how hard it was on him.

It wasn't, really. Not for Kevin; he lost a mother before this.

After breakfast, Antonio proudly told him they (meaning himself) attempted to clean the house a little. A huge accomplishment for someone barely eleven year old and scrawny as he is. Proud of his little brother, he ruffled his hair, almost like a father.  
Only theirs hasn't ever done it. Not once. It's not that he doesn't care. He just doesn't like it.

As soon as he made sure they got everything they needed; their homemade lunches, their books and papers with homework, he send them off to school, wondering if they'd ever make enough money to send at least Antonio and Mario to a university. Antonio especially is so smart, there's so much more for him in this life than farming and cleaning. Leaning on his tool, he watched them go, before he went back to the fields.

The sun burned on his exposed back while he worked, but he continued, mercilessly driving the machine through the green flora. Knowing for whom he was doing it. The heat was almost unbearable, even though he lived here for all his life and should be used to it by now. The sun still burned him and the work still exhausted him.

He kept his cries hidden in his chest, even in the lone fields. He missed her; he missed the prospect of coming home to a warm smile, the promise of her wonderful cold smoothies. Her hugs, her massages, her kind words.

But the woman that loved him for sixteen years of his life was gone, dead. She'll never wake up and she'll never return. She left him. She left everyone. She lies in the graveyard, beneath a heavy gray stone. He knows exactly where, but he couldn't bring himself to go and visit her; he has to do the work while his father ran away from the pain and his responsibilities, even thought his heart yearns for his mother.

But the stone brought back memories. Her tan, beautifully aged face, ridden of the loving smile, he can't stand to see it again, especially if the simple memories cause his heart to ache. He couldn't imagine her body, so warm and energetic, lying in the cold brown coffin. It's not something he wanted to remember her by. He didn't even want to remember the woman who loved him, even though he was bought from a stranger, lifeless and cold. She was the warmest person he's ever met. Loving a boy that was not her own with all of her heart. He's tried to walk in her footsteps, being there for her biological children, his siblings by bonds. Giving them a bad copy of the smile she always gave him. The reassurance that it would all be fine, in the end. Even though Kevin knew that is wasn't going to be. Not anymore.

Antonio shared the loss of their mother, carrying it on his lithe shoulders; Mario has already proudly proclaimed she's got a room in his heart, but Castor and Andreas… They'll stop asking after a while. They'll grow used to just Kevin and their father. Kevin might get them to remember and he will try his hardest, but they're as old as Joe was.

He didn't think Joe remembered, or at least not as much as he does. Was that a good thing? For his real brother to be free form the things that plagued Kevin? He didn't have the answer for that.

And Mahtob. He's going to grow up without a firm but gentle female hand and he won't remember the woman that gave him life. It's wrong, so wrong, but he can't make the kid remember something like that.

He's older then Nick was…

He softly smiled as he recalled telling his mother of Joe and Nick. Telling about his brothers and how she would love them. She told him she did, because Kevin did and the he should never stop loving them. When she told him he would be getting a brother after all, they were both so happy. Brothers bring happiness; the two things were attached to each other in Kevin's mind.  
No brothers brought sorrow; it was as simple as that.

And joy they brought, tumbling through the gates of the yard, the twins throwing pebbles at each other, with smiles on their cheekily freckled faces, while Mario held on to Antonio's hand, his older brother's eyes still full of the thing's he learned today. He was glowing with it. He held Mahtob, whom they picked up at Jasmine's house. Kevin let them play. He let them be happy, but he's glad Antonio told his brothers to do their homework. It seemed better then doing it himself, though he knew he would eventually have to. They're moving on, bendable as they always are at this young of age.

Then, as if on cue, they all stared at the house and Kevin knew it was because they were half expecting their mom to call for dinner. She didn't and they came in with hung heads when he did it himself, half an hour later then usual.

They greeted their father politely when he returns from the town, scared of the stress that radiated off him and Kevin can tell they're a bit frightened by the man they hardly knew. It made him so mad and so sad at the same time. A father should be there for his family and he shouldn't let his bought son…Kevin shook his head, ending the thought before it had the chance to really begin.

They ate dinner together, silently, so different from their breakfast, when it was just the six of them.  
Their father left without saying a word, to her bedroom, where he just happened to sleep too.

Only when Kevin was sure he was soundly asleep, did he let the kids follow. He picked out a book for Antonio to read and an easy one for Mario, to silently try to read to the twins.

When the whole house is silent, so similar to the silence of the morning, and Kevin sat silently by the kitchen table, on _her_ chair, by _her _place at the window, his tears finally allowed to fall.

"Mother. Sisters. Mom." He whispered, through his chocked sobs. "Brothers. Why did you leave me?"

His tears stained the window sill he used for a pillow. He closed his eyes and allowed his heartbreak to hit him and to break him more than he should be broken. He missed them, terribly, and yet, deep down, he knew. He knew that he would never again live with his real mom or hear his mother sing to the little ones. He knew he wouldn't be able to make his younger brothers, Joe and Nick, smile as he used too. He knew that they were just a lost memory, one that is better off to be forgotten. He fell asleep, not caring about his awkward position as he curls in on himself, exhausted. He only cared about one thing right now; escaping his haunted memories of them and the pain the shattered fragments of his heart wept of.

_**Where am I? My head was clouded with confusion as I looked around the green field, dotted with flowers, bursting out of bloom, as if in greeting. The long green grass seemed to radiate with serenity. Was that even possible? I turned around, getting a full view of the landscape, smiling as I heard the orchestra of the bugs and birds, mixing together in the perfect melody. No one was here. But then, why did I feel like I wasn't alone? I shook my head at the silly thought a took three steps forward, gasping as four people shimmered into existence, smiling and laughing silently like they've been here the entire time. I took another step, but my toes hit against a barrier, one the colour of air. I couldn't get closer to them, somehow. But I wanted to, why couldn't I get to them?**_

_**"Hello?" I called but they didn't seem to hear me. I pounded on the barrier, but to no avail. It was like I was a ghost to them, lost and unseen. Or where they ghosts to me? **_

_**There were two boys who shared a striking resemblance and two women, one of which I knew, but the other I didn't... or so I thought.**_**_One boy had tight and dark curls, similar to my own and the left side of his face was dotted with freckles. His face lacked a smile, but his dark brown eyes were dancing in obvious joy. The other had straight, short dark hair and smiled openly as he toyed with this younger brother, teasing him until the other boy finally cracked a smile. The elder boy's lighter brown eyes sparkled when he laughed, but no sound came from his mouth. _**

_**I turned to the women I knew for the past 16 years next and somehow, I wasn't surprised to see her; my mother. She was looking at the two boys with love, and yet, I knew that they were not her sons, but I could only see from her soft brown eyes that she shared the same love for them as the unknown woman. **_

_**The unknown woman...I did know her. Her long red hair, her loving smile, her kind eyes and the way she hugged the two boys from behind...she was my mom. My real mom. So that could only mean...I turned back to the boys, raising my fingers to the barrier, wanting to cry out in pure longing as I watched Joe tackle Nick, only to have Nick win the fight. I felt tears coursing down my face as I watched Nick stand in a gloating manner before helping Joe to his feet, the latter pulling him into a hug. After all these years, Joe was still a hugger. **_

_**"JOE! NICK!" I yelled out, my voice echoing strangely across the barren landscape, but they didn't even bat their eyes. "MOTHER! MOM!" I tried again, falling to my knees, letting my sorrow take over. They couldn't have forgotten me, could they? Joe smiled and took both of the women hands and led them away form me, Nick trailing close behind, his hands in his pockets. "NO!" I yelled, kicking the force that held me back form being loved and from being happy again. I needed to get to them, to hear them speak, to see their eyes looking at me, I needed something! They can't ignore me! But they kept walking, leaving me, becoming smaller in the distance. "DON'T LEAVE ME!" **_

_**Nick stopped and bent down to tie his shoe, turning as he stood again, his eyes stopping on me. But I knew he didn't see me. Joe looked back and called to his brother, Nick waving to him, smiling for a second before turning back to his family. They were leaving me. Again. **_

_**"No..." I sobbed, my arm reaching out and grasping air in pure longing. "Please don't leave me alone." I whispered, wanting with all my heart for them to turn and run back to me. "Please...I need you." But they never turned back. I watched them faded right into the air, just as they did when they first appeared, and again, I was alone. **_

Kevin jumped when he heard the slight knock on the door, the slight pound waking him from his dream. He glanced at the clock, confused as to why someone would come calling at this early of an hour. Surely there couldn't be _another _fire? It hadn't been that hot…He shook his head, knowing this world was full of things he would never understand, before rising to a standing position. His neck ached from the position he'd fallen asleep in, but he did not care. He was, at least, used to this kind of neck and back pain. It was a necessity to be immune to it when you worked where Kevin worked and labored as hard as he did.

Kevin glared at a little grain in the table, which ripped his already worn jeans when he tried to slip past them quickly, but made it to the door when another knock sounded, his bare feet slapping on the cold tiles. "Hello?" He called through the wood, unsure if he should answer it. It might be someone dangerous and his thoughts flashed to the five sleeping boys upstairs.

"Kevin, is that you?" Why did he know that voice?

"Open the door please." A man's voice sounded and he sighed, opening the door only slightly, ready to throw it back closed. His eyes narrowed in confusion when he took in the rather eccentric appearance of the man outside. His thick reddish hair and his dual colored eyes were not a thing seen often; people would've stoned him here, scared and conservative as they were. He opened the door fully, not deeming this man to be threat, as odd as his appearance was, and his eyes landed on the youth behind him. Kevin was instantly haunted by the smiling and laughing face that was in his dream. His mouth fell open as he looked at the boy, wondering if it could be true. Could his brother really be here? Could he really be Joe?

"Joe?" He whispered and the young man's eyes light up at his name and before Kevin could react, he had his arms full of Joe.

"Kevin!" Joe whispered into his shoulder, holding him all the tighter. "You're alright! You're alive!"

"And you have an English accent." Kevin retorted, a smile finding its way on his face as he hugged his younger brother with enthusiasm.

"And you have an Italian one!" Joe countered and Kevin felt him smiling against his shoulder. "Professor, you did it!" Joe beamed as he pulled away from me, turning around to the man. The guy with Kevin's brother just smiled at nodded, his eyes on the token that still hung around his neck.

"I am Professor Savage." He smiled, finally looking up into Kevin's eyes. "I found your brother on one of my trips to his family and I brought him here, to you. I have been looking for you for a long time." He looked at Joe and then back to the Kevin, his eyes telling him not to ask questions. Not yet anyway. "And now, if you want to, I can take you both on another journey." He smiled, tapping his fingers on his chin. "It has been too long since Nicholas has seen you both."

"Wait...what?" Joe and Kevin both exclaimed quietly and Kevin looked at the stairs before leading them outside. His brothers need not be awakened by their excitement. "You can find Nick too?" Joe asked, looking excited.

"I found Kevin did I not, Joseph?" Joe rolled his eyes and glared at the Professor for a second before nodding. "I beat the odds with your oldest brother, now I believe it is time to do the same for the youngest, though it might be hard."

"Why?" Kevin chocked, as he finally found his shock silenced tongue. "Why do you want to help us? What do you want in return?" He demanded, knowing that there was never such a thing as a free lunch. Kevin knew that there was a catch and if that catch turned out to be deadly, he would take Joe away from this man and they would find Nick themselves. He could never have done that alone, but now that Joe is here, his hope was renewed.

"What I ask is simple, and Joseph has already agreed to everything, even the fine print." The Professor laughed.

"It's Joe." Joe growled, sounding like he had said this one too many times to this man.

"You see, it is simple." The Professor carried on like Joe had never interrupted him. "I met Joseph"-"Joe"-"a little over a month ago, and I promised him that I would not rest until I found his brothers, and the same goes for finding young Nicholas. You see..." He stopped, looking to the stars, smiling again, but he didn't continue.

"Just go on, Professor!" Joe exasperated and he rolled his eyes, looping an arm around Kevin's shoulder and shooting him a smile. "Stop leaving my brother in the dark."

"Very well." He turned to Kevin, addressing him directly, his eyes unnervingly serious. "When you dream, what do you see?"

Kevin flinched, caught off guard by that question. It was like the man could read his thoughts, but Joe stayed by his side, lending support. Kevin couldn't help but smile at him for a second, feeling the joy that his brother was back.

"I see what I long for." He answered, looking back at the Prof, who nodded, more in conformation than agreement. "I see Joe, and Nick, and my mom and my recently deceased mother..."

"The people who left you but loved you." Professor Savage finished. Kevin didn't bother responding as he knew a response wasn't needed. "It fits..." The professor mused quietly, his voice no more than a whisper to the wind that was lost to both of the brother's ears. "I can't tell you more now, not here, but I need an answer Kevin." His voice was dead quiet and suddenly intimidating from the level of importance it held. "Will you come with us to find Nick?"

Kevin looked back over to his home. Could he really leave his brothers to his dad? Could he leave them alone in this hard of time?

"You should go, Kevin." The three jumped and turned upon hearing the rough voice coming from the opened door. The man that looked so much like the five sleeping boys was looking at Kevin with narrowed, but sad eyes. "I will take care of 'em." Kevin's father promised, looking at Joe in astonishment. "You… you have taken care of my family, like their… your mother and now it is time to do the same with your own." The words weren't easy for him, but he stumbled through them. His large hands fiddling very uncharacteristically. "I- I'm sure you will do a fine job. You always have, though I didn't see." Kevin looked down to his feet as he felt Joe's gaze heavy on his back. "You found your family, rather...he found you, and its time you get out of here. Now that... she's gone… I realize." The voice of Kevin's father hesitated, not used to this kind of endearment. "I should have been better to her, I didn't show how much I loved her-I didn't see how much she loved you. And really, I don't honestly... but she would've wanted this. Get your things and go. It… I… It'll be one mouth we don't have to feed. Go and find your brother, my – my son."

The click of the closed door was heard before anyone was given a chance to answer. Kevin's face was brighter then it had been for a long time. Maybe his father a better man then he'd given him credit for. Maybe there _was_ a reason why his mother fell in love with him.

A smile was heard in the Professor's voice. "So, Kevin, what do you say?"

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	6. Nightly interruptions

_Silver: *tacklepounces and noms everyone that's just lurking*_

**Chibiyu: **_...ok then...lurkers, if you don't want to be "nommed" on...by stopping lurking?_

Silver: I suppose that, since it's my birthday, I could go easy on you, but that's just because it's Halloween and everything… have a happy one, by the way! ^-^

And just a little explanation; No, the scenes we write did not happen in the order we posted them. Take a close look at the dates and make good use of the flashbacks to figure out our storyline.  
Enjoy the story!  
_  
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**_September 1st, 1983. Savage residence. _**

_It started on a Thursday, a normal, ordinary Thursday-night; one of the most awful nights of my entire life, mainly because it was the first, the first of many. I can still hear her cries echoing through the wide hallways. I can still feel my bare feet slapping against the cold floor. There are still pangs of fright that hurt my heart when I think of it. _

_I can still feel the curve of her small chin, cupped in my hands as I try to wake her. Her body trashed and her eyelids fluttered, but they never opened. It had felt like her screams rolled from her body into mine, shaking everything to broken pieces, worse then any earthquake I'd ever experienced. She screamed, and at that point I thought at me, to leave her alone, to stop hurting her. The panic, the building of guilt is still a torture and I have to stop myself from searching for mistakes. _

_Because it wasn't my fault. _

_I figured that out in the months after, but at that point, I felt like a failure, sitting there, rocking her little body, but unable to help my only daughter. I cried with her, even screamed with her, but I didn't know what tortured her. _

_When she'd woken up, she didn't remember what had happened. Her eyes so innocently large. She knew she'd had a weird dream, but when I described them to her, she just laughed and called me silly.  
I could only smile in relief. Smile for her ignorance, for I didn't _want_ her to remember whatever had tortured her. But I kept close watch on her for the rest of the week. She looked tired, which was understandable, but her laughs were still carefree as ever, her hair bounced freely like it had always done and I went back to the laboratory and my father's dream of his own. The minute I came home, I heard her scream. All happiness over our recent discovery forgotten, I'd raced up the stairs. I held her body again that night. _

_The following months it started happening more frequently, only now the dreams didn't stop when she woke up. She didn't forget them anymore. She described them as the most horrible nightmares, where she saw her mother die again and again, where monsters tried to kill her and me and tried to catch her, in order to never let her go again. To never let her wake up again. _

_I started to see the link then, but I couldn't understand how it was possible. She never came to the laboratory; my father didn't want kids to disturb him. He dismissed the possibility of my daughter's 'illness' having something to do with his 'pioneer research'. He was such an old fool, but so was I. _

_Eventually, the dreams stopped being dreams, even after we got the pills from the doctor, the words from the psychiatrist and the worries of my father, Tom and _his_ father.  
She started seeing her nightly monsters in real live, she started believing she was dreaming when she was wide awake and she started to block the world around her, the one she had always loved with so much happiness. _

_She was only 8 at that point. _

_I didn't know depressions could befall mere children, but I saw it in her eyes, I saw it in the way she lost her lust for life. I saw it in the way the dreams changed. She wanted them now, because according to her, everything was better than the pills and the idiot Psychiatrist's words and everyone being worried about her, everything was better then missing her mother and her grandfather being married to his work instead of her grandmother. Everything was better then seeing a young man, barely of age, being dragged into that too, by his own father. Everything was better then seeing me being dragged into it too. She had always been intelligent, but the pain and wisdom that she spoke of made me realise how the dreams had really altered her. _

_She slept more often and she'd long stopped screaming. I was happy for that and my father enjoyed the silence, but I was worried, worried about her, her sanity, my poor job as a single father. I wished for June, my wife, for she would have known what to do. _

_The stories she told me weren't of monsters anymore, but of things that made her happy. Things I could never give her. Endless playtime, her mother, a loving family. No dysfunctional mess that she would grow up in. I never really understood, I guess, but I was never much of a dreamer anyway. _

_It was another Thursday when it all ended. The day she didn't wake up, the day she left me for the dream world. _

_Now I stand here, my tears mixing with the rain that falls upon the many graves that surround me.  
I still feel the coldness of her still body as I put it in the little casket. I still hear the creaking of the wood and I can still see it slowly disappear into the ground. _

_Now I stare at the last words that are left of her. _

May Elizabeth Savage. September 14, 1976 – august 24, 1983. Let your dreams take wing.

_August 24, the day I lost everything I had. The day I lost part of myself to the horrible dream-world my father had unlocked. The day I decided I would find that key, no matter what it would cost me._

**_June 30th, 2010. Savage laboratories._**

**The Professor was hunched over his computer, typing furiously, his eyes switching to the portal like structure next to him and back to the complex figures on the glowing screen. Unknown to him, a shadow is nearing him, one looking like a small girl. He keeps working, his eyes growing larger with every figure fixed and completed by his fingers. **

**"It's missing one thing…two things…three things!" He exclaimed, unable to take the failure. He knew this was useless and yet he couldn't tear himself away from the project. So many years, so many agonizing stress attacks were spent over this project and he just couldn't put that all to waste now. He would not let this project die. Not when he was so close. **

**"Daddy?" A small voice rang out but the Professor heard nothing, resuming this frantic typing, his lips pursed in absolute frustration. "Daddy, you work too hard." A small girl around nine in age walked behind the Professor and stopped a few feet from him, her emerald eyes burning a hole in the back of his head. And still, the Professor didn't hear her. She pushed her long dirty blonde hair from her face, running her fingers down the entire length before dropping her hand to her side. "Daddy?" She called, not gaining any attention from the man who was absorbed in his work. **

**"Dad, you won't finish it tonight…come and play with me...or tuck me in?" She called, but her please were still in vain. "Please daddy?" **

**"May, my daughter, I promise I will see you again." The Professor muttered, looking longing up at the portal structure. **

**"But I'm right here Daddy…" The girl called, suddenly she felt more like a ghost, a dream to her dad. "Turn around and look at me." Her voice grew more anger filled, more haunted, her soft green eyes turning hard as once again, she was ignored. "Father!" She yelled, grabbing his shoulder and spinning the chair so he faced her. **

**"May…is that you?" Savage's eyes now held wonder as he looked upon his young daughter. "How…you are dead…?"**

**"I can evade death in dreams daddy, or perhaps you've forgotten that." May whispered, removing her hand from her fathers shoulder. **

**"I have not forgotten…" Savage whispered, looking at his daughter in worry. "May…I am so sorry…I didn't know this would happen to you…"**

**"No one knows the future daddy." She assured her father, her voice still holding bitter resentment, but it was more controlled than before. "Not even the nightmares." She laughed suddenly. "How could you forget that dreams aren't only happy daddy?" She walked away from her father, putting her fingers on the metal portal, shaking her head, as if ridiculing it. "I know you wanted the best for me…but the best ended up being the worst. You wanted me happy and you ended up killing me…in an indirect way." She sighed, turning and reaching out, grabbing her speechless father's hand. "But you know what you need now Daddy."**

**"The keys." May nodded once, looking into her father's eyes, their determination being a mirror image. **

**"You need to fix what you caused to come undone." She looked over her shoulder, the back of the lab changing, swirling in dark colours until they solidified. May pointed to the life size picture of three boys. "You need to find them to find the keys." Savage nodded once, looking at the boys. He had found two, but the third…he was close. "I know you have Joseph and Kevin…but you still need the third. Nicholas." Again, he nodded once. "He will be tough to get daddy. I've seen in him, numerous times and I know his heart."**

**"You've seen him?" The Professor suddenly cut in, grasping his daughter's hands. "How? He shouldn't be even close to being that deep in the dream world…he should be in stage one still…seeing what your heart truly wants…not-"**

**"Interacting with it, fighting it, it trying to kill him." She inserted, the Professor's eyes widening with every word. "You have to find them soon Daddy, or else Nicholas and his key, will be lost in the dreams…lost in real reality…lost in his own mind. Like I was." She took a breath, letting go of her dad's hands and taking a step back. "I have to go Daddy. You have to go." She smiled at him, letting her nine year old face come alive in the happiness of seeing her father again. "I love you Daddy."**

His red hair was sprawled out over his keyboard. His eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, dangerously close to drooling over the machinery. The exact machinery that he had spent his whole life slaving over, even after it and all of the research took the life of his daughter.

The expression on his face was far from the calm look that one would see on a sleeping face. It was tense, worried, for he still hadn't found what he'd been looking for. Nothing. His father's work had been enough to kill his daughter, but it wasn't enough to do anything to repair what it had broken. Dead aren't broken after all, they are just gone. And nothing can repair what is gone.

He'd done awful things to find a way; a way into the world that took his daughter, and essentially his father, from him. But he miserably failed, just as he'd failed at protecting her.

It hadn't been his fault, he knew that, but he had to fix it, he had to find the three keys, even though it had been him that lost them in the first place. But now they were found again and well within his grasp. The three sons of Tom Lucas. The only remaining grandsons of the two men that unlocked something bigger then themselves. Something that was never meant to be opened. And his only hope.

He'd found two, miraculously, but now he had to find the third, one that was apparently in grave danger of befalling the same destiny his daughter had.

But now he was asleep, he was the closest he'd ever come to what he so desperately needed to find, to stop. The closest he'd ever be with her; that much was for sure.

Because everything was for her. All for her.

**August first, 2010. Borderline New Jersey; Administration district. **

"You shouldn't be here." He repeated for what had to be the thousandth time.

The blonde girl rolled her brown eyes and snorted in a way Joe had never heard her do in the company of his mother. The sound startled him greatly, a look worth laughing at coming to his face. And Stella didn't miss the opportunity to laugh.

"I should've let you leave to find your birth family, I'm not your mother, you're perfectly capable to take care of yourself and basically, I'm a nuisance." She counted all his reasons on her manicured fingers. "But really Joseph-"Joe"-, do you expect me to just let you go ahead and get yourself in trouble, without my trained hands to get you out of it?" The hands she spoke of rested dangerously on her hips as she spoke, making Joe shrink back into the ugly-coloured cushions of the bench. "And who exactly saw the funeral-announcement of your brother's Italian mom in the newspaper?" – "The professor traced…" – "Yes, but I was the one who found him, didn't I?" said Stella, gesturing to the bewildered older boy."And just look at him, so handsome and with _those clothes! _I have so much _work_ to do!"

Kevin looked at his shirt, boots and trousers, wondering if they were really that bad before realizing he didn't actually care.

"Are they always like this?" He asked the man across from him, his slight Italian accent ringing through his question. The red-head was almost as bewildered as Kevin was, looked up from his advanced laptop before realising the subject of the question.

"Oh yes, Joseph and Ms. Stella are bickering most of the time. I wouldn't have thought it, but apparently it is their way of showing affection to each other, I've observed. They do love each other a lot."  
Seemingly satisfied with his answer, he went back to his computers screen. Usually, this would enthral Kevin severely, for he wasn't exactly used to flashy things like that. He'd seen computers, more then enough of them at his school and in the shops down in the village, but none of them had been quite as pretty as the one on the greasy Starbucks table.

Oh, Starbucks, yeah he loved this too, instant delicious coffee. He'd been sipping his drink for a few minutes now, savouring it. His mother had been known as the coffee expert of the village, but this was truly delicious!

"So why are we down here again?" He asked his brother, partially because he didn't want to disturb the professor, who was searching for the third missing brother and partially because he loved talking to Joe. Stella rolled her eyes at him.

"Because the boy we interrogated said he lived around the corner of where the incident happened, remember? That's somewhere around here." Joe answered, scowling to Stella before smiling at Kevin. The incident? That was what Joe was calling it? It was much more than an incident in Kevin's mind, but then again, Joe did think differently than he did.

**Flashback to July 31st, 2010. Central Park, New York.**

**"How are we going to find him?" Joe whispered, hands going through his hair in aggravation. "It was nearly impossible to find you!" Joe looked at Kevin, his eyes housing sadness. "And that was just luck! It's like Nick disappeared off the face of the earth! I don't even remember who adopted him..." The sorrow on his face was so alike to the one that had adorned the face of Kevin's second father, the day he lost his wife.**

**"But I do." Joe's head snapped up at Kevin's words, his eyes instantly gaining hope. **

**"Professor, can you trace a family name?" Joe asked the Professor, lowering his voice as a couple passed by, they eyed the Professors eccentric appearance with ridicule, but if he noticed, he didn't say anything. **

**Instead he smirked lightly, looking up from his ever prominent laptop. "Can a spider spin a web?" His eyes followed a spider laying on the park bench's arm rest, making him smile a little before looking back to the screen. **

**"I will take that as a yes!" Joe fist pumped the air and Kevin snorted in amusement. His brother, raised as royalty, still had the manners and actions he'd had when he was younger. He was glad that he could still see the young Joe he knew in his brother. Not everything was apparently lost to time and misery. That thought comforted Kevin greatly. He began wondering if Nick, who had only been a baby at the time he was adopted, would still have the same intense eyes and the same scarce smile.**

**"The family that adopted Nick..." Kevin raked his brain for their first names, grinning in triumph when he remembered easily. "Addison and Carl Lester!" The only sound was the Professor's keys typing rapidly. The computer acknowledged the results of a search.  
The professor's face fell, but he did not elaborate immediately. **

**"I am afraid they can't be traced, my boys." He said. There was something Kevin didn't like clinging to his words. **

**"Why?" Joe questioned, snapping his head back and forth between Kevin, Stella and the professor. **

**"They are dead." He swallowed, his eyes more pained than they should have been as he read on. "It was the winter of 1993 and the car hit black ice. All the car's occupants died..." He looked back at us. "I am afraid that Nicholas is dead."**

**Joe and Kevin looked to each other, pain flooding into each of their eyes before they looked away. Neither knew what to feel. They loved Nick, but didn't know him. They still missed him, but barely remembered him. How could you mourn, when there was such a little hole to fill?  
Kevin felt the sorrow of loosing another family member; this wasn't a very new thing to his heart. The walls around it had strengthened from when he was very young. He was protected from the words.  
Joe on the other hand had never experienced a loss like this, only seclusion. He didn't know what it felt like to loose a loved one, except, of course, for the parents he barely remembered. He wasn't prepared for the news. He didn't know the world could be so cruel. **

**"Where?" Joe asked through clenched teeth, trying to hide the agony, the want to cry.**

**The professor stood and led them back to his car, driving silently for about two hours before stopping on the side of an old road, shielded by the trees of a small forest. Two hours of silence may have driven anyone insane, but they were all feeling hurt, they all felt lost, believing they had failed.  
There were no words to describe that, nothing that could be said; before it was proven that it was indeed too late. No ways that the trio knew of anyway. In fact, the only words spoken in the entire two hours were by Joe, who had banged his fist on the leather seat between him and his brother, whose side he refused to leave.**

**"Nick can't be dead! Not like that! Someone would have told us! _We would have known! _I would have felt it!_" _But he seemed to be the only one to believe that. Or if the other occupants in the car did, they didn't show it. They stuck to their silence, preferring to weep and hope alone.**

**"We are here." The Prof whispered and all of them climbed out of the rental car. The two brothers carried their heavy hearts as they stepped onto the cold asphalt, eyes instantly finding the dated and worn cross on the side of the road. That was where it happened. That was where they died. Where their brother died. **

**"Nick..." Kevin whispered, walking over to the tiny cross, reading the faded wording carved on the wood. **

**_Lester Family - Dec 16th 1993_**

**So Nick didn't even have a chance to live before he died. That simple fact struck Joe more than it should have. His brother never got to go on a first date, never got to get into a first argument, never got to miss them. According to this cross, he was young when he died, barely a few months after he was adopted.  
But according to Joe's heart, Nick was still alive. He had to be. He didn't come all this way to let one of his brothers go. It didn't work like that. To Joe, this was an all or nothing job. And he didn't come here for nothing. Nick was alive. He had to be. **

**Kevin looked around as footsteps approached them. A guy was shuffling over to them, nose buried in a newspaper. From what Kevin could see, his eye was blacked, to a point were it was swollen shut, and his limp was caused by a recent injury. All Kevin could see of the newspaper is a picture with two teenage boys, and half of the headline.  
He turned back towards the stone, reaching his fingers towards it.**

**"Wouldn't to that if I were you." A slightly pained voice snapped.  
Three of their little group looked up towards the young man with the newspaper.**

**Kevin and Joe stared at his injured face, while Stella stared at his appearance with a horrified expression.**

**"Why not?" Kevin couldn't help but challenge. This guy shouldn't be interrupting them; this was _their_ stone now, the last touchable memory of their brother**

**"Don't you know nothing?" He pulled out the paper and showed us the picture briefly. Joe saw a mess of curls and the scars. Kevin saw the intense eyes. The Professor only saw the pendant. Stella saw the necklace, Kevin's curls, the shape of Joe's face, and clothes that desperately needed her attention. "DarkSinger, '_the newest threat in New Jersey_' would fucking kill you if he found out ya'll touched his stone." He scoffed, pushing the paper back into the pockets of his torn jeans. "Now get outta here, if you know what's good fer ya, quit wastin' my time."**

**"Excuse me?" Stella called. She had been so quiet before that the three had forgotten about her and how she snuck out with Joe. "I would _really _like to see that paper." She fluttered her eyelashes and Joe was mesmerized but the guy didn't seem to care. **

**"Nice try lady, but I have _dozens _of prettier girls waiting for me for when I get my honour back." The guy, who Joe and Kevin were really starting to dislike, spat at Stella's direction. Joe ground his heel in the dirt, hating how this punk dared to insult Stella. But he didn't act. Stella can take care of herself. **

**"Fine by me." She shrugged and walked back, leaving the boys to do the dirty work. She shot Joe a _'What? I might break a nail!'_ look and Joe only rolled his eyes. This was typically Stella. **

**"I can help you get that honour back." Joe whispered, stepping forward and the guy's eyes narrowed. **

**"Keep talking pretty boy..." The guy looked Joe up and down, shaking his head. "I bet you can't even take on that girl." He pointed to Stella who smiled. This guy was right. Joe couldn't best her and they both knew it. **

**"I have power behind my name an-"**

**The guy's laughter cut across Joe. "Power? Yeah like a last name will do anyone good where I'm from."**

**"And where is that?" Kevin inserted, drawing attention to him. **

**"Nowhere." This kid was really starting to get annoying. Kevin walked over to him and smiled, stopping a foot away. **

**"Alright, let's make this interesting." He whispered, putting it all on the line. But he knew that if something wasn't done, nothing would happen. That paper would be lost and they would be back to where they started. And that was nowhere. The paper was important Kevin was sure of it. He'd seen the eyes. He had to be sure. **

**"Kevin..." Joe warned and Kevin looked back at him. "I want to find Nick too but..." The guy looked up at Nick's name, narrowing his eyes. "You even dare to speak the fucker's name. Brave y'are. You cops?" **

**The Professor looked up at those words, his trail of thought, as he'd been staring at the stone, broken. He remained watching, letting the boys handle it, much like Stella was. **

**Joe chuckled and pushed back his coat, revealing a golden family crest that resembled an American police badge in slightly in shape. "I am...my partner is more like an intern..." He nodded to Kevin, who rolled his eyes, as if offended by the title. Kevin knew to play along. He didn't want to start at nowhere again. Nowhere was a place for the hopeless, and he still had hope. **

**"So...if I tell you about this guy in the paper... Will you arrest the menace? He lives just around the corner of where this happened…?" He hesitantly asked, opening the paper a bit. Joe nodded. **

**"I will make sure a team is on him by nightfall." He lied but the guy bought it. He walked over to Joe and was about to give him the paper, when suspicion set into his dull eyes. They flicked to the badge and he took a step back, pulling his arm away as Joe reached for the paper. But Kevin didn't let him go far. A farmer's son has strong arms, and Kevin's were no different. He held onto this squirming boy with ease, not letting him move and making it quite easy for Joe to walk up and take the paper.  
Then he dropped the boy, whose feet immediately buckled beneath him. He glared at Kevin, before scurrying off. The brothers really couldn't care less as they stared after him; the professor had taken the newspaper from Joe's hands and turned it. **

**"Boys...I believe we found your brother." He showed Stella, Joe and Kevin the picture and pointed to the article's second sentence. **

**"The boy in the picture is another gang leader, ultimately another threat to this city, even at this young of Age. The boy above goes by "DarkSinger" and his name is still yet to be found."**

**The picture was blurry, but the mess of curls on his head and even the freckles that formed the little dipper on the right side of his face were clearly visible. He had eyes that would scare most people away from him before he threw the first punch. The rage as he stared at his opponent, who looked thoroughly defeated, burning behind them. His knuckles were scrapped, his cheek bruised and his fingers were clenched. And around his neck, was a simple, silver, pendant. **

**_August first, 2010. Borderline New Jersey; Administration district. _**

"Professor, I want to find Nick just as much as you do. Heck, I probably want to find him even more, but the middle of the night seems like a slightly inconvenient time to go knocking on a gang-leaders door." Joe moaned, rubbing his eyes in an attempt to get himself to wake up.

"But I just fount his address an hour ago. Don't ask how; there was a lot of dirty money involved, but I managed it and we don't have the time to waste, Joseph. You know that."

"For the last time, its _Joe," _Kevin could only snicker, he was used to waking up early and his mood was severely better then Joe's. "And secondly, no, I don't, since you refuse to tell us until we've found Nick."

"Which is what we're doing; it's really a win-win situation, Joseph." The professor told him absentmindedly, scanning the dirty, grey buildings they were walking past. Joe sighed in defeat.  
The area wasn't exactly a place one would like to take a happy stroll through in the middle of the night and that was why Joe had insisted they leave Stella sleeping peacefully at the motel they rented, while making sure he was walking close to Kevin at all times. But even Kevin looked slightly uncomfortable, scanning the alleys for possible serial killers or rapists. The professor didn't pay mind to his surroundings at all, except for the building-numbers.

"Aha!" He suddenly yelped, making Joe squeak in surprise and scaring Kevin shitless as well.  
"What _now!_" Joe snapped.

"We're here." The professor announced simply, gesturing to a particularly greasy building.

"He lives _here?_" Kevin asked weakly. He couldn't really grasp the fact that his youngest brother grew up in a place like this, surrounded by those potential serial killers. And he didn't dare think about the rapists.

They entered the building, took the stairs because decrepit the building didn't have an elevator and finally ended up in front of a strangely clean door.

The professor knocked, his eyes expectant as the two brothers wing him on either side, staring at the door with tension in their features. There's no reaction, so the professor knocked again, louder. This time, they hear distinct sounds of locks being unlocked and the door opens, revealing the boy from the paper, which is without doubt their younger, shirtless, dangerous looking, but mostly _breathing_ brother.

His eyes stare at the professor, before they slide over to Kevin and Joe and his features tense, he backs away and seems prepared to throw the door in their face, but the voice of the professor stops him.

"Hello." The elder man says carefully and Nick's face contorts in suspicion. "My name is Professor Savage. I believe your name is Nicholas, am I correct?"

There's no question that he is.

**Show no weakness, they are coming. I have to be strong.  
_More then anything, I need them, there's nothing I won't do. _****  
No limits in protecting them, I'm willing to do everything.**

**All for her. **

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_so, just in case you don't want to be nommed *silver lurks in background* make sure to leave us a review!_


	7. REM sleep

_Silver__: Guess who? Y'all miss us? Bet'cha did! – Gah, the whole 'slang' thing is getting into my brain! *sigh* But it's nice to be back!_

**Chibiyu: **_Hi! Personally, I think, this chapter is long... very long... but I love it and that is saying a lot. We own nothing by the way, only our lovely plot and OC's.Silver: for your nerdy information; this baby here is FOURTEEN word-pages and over eight-thousand words long… *flails around excitedly*_

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**_Continuation of August first, 2010. Borderline New Jersey; Administration district._**

Nick starred at the ones who had dared to disturb him at this late of hour. The words from his dream still circled in his mind, like a broken record and they were a warning he knew he should heed, even if they did originate from a dream.

Show no weakness. They are coming. I have to be strong.

"Are you Nicholas?" The eccentric old fellow asked the hardened teen again. And like before, Nick was silent, starring at them with unwavering menace, as though daring them to do something he wouldn't like. Daring them to test him. Daring them to cross him. It was obvious to Joe and Kevin that his teen did not want them here. But it wasn't obvious as to why. Nick's gaze slowly went from the Professor's to Joe's, who shuddered from the coldness lying underneath them. Nick smirked at Joe's fear, confidence starting to show in his eyes. He looked to Kevin, who starred back evenly, but there wasn't the confidence or readiness in his stance like there was in Nick's. Nick's smirk grew but it faded when the Professor moved, his eyes instantly darting back to the older man.

"That pendant…"_The professor tried again and Nick's hand covered the silver ornament protectively. His eyes narrowed into a glare, all signs of the earlier smirk gone. _"It is yours…right?"

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you're implying." _Nick whispered, his voice almost unheard by the strange trio of brothers and professor. _

"No, not at all!" _The Professor hurriedly corrected himself and Nick's glare shifted from intimidation to that of curiosity. _

"What do want?" _He said, in the exact same volume, in the exact same guarded tone as before. _

"We want to know your name." _The Professor told him and Nick rolled his eyes. His boredom was apparent and he looked behind him for a moment before looking back to the trio. He shook his head once. _

"Then your mission is a failed one." _He went to close the door, but Kevin lunged forward and put his fingers at risk of getting jammed between the door and the wooden frame. But that never happened. Nick stopped the door from closing and opened it all the way again, his eyes analyzing everything and it looked like he was getting ready to use force. _

"Wait…" _Kevin told him, instantly becoming victim of Nick's well known glare. Or at least, it was well known in these parts, in this city, in his domain. _"I'm Kevin and this is my brother Joe…" _His voice was hesitant and he paused, trying to see Nick's reaction from those names. There was nothing. _"Please, we aren't going to hurt you and we don't want to fight, but we have to know."

"And why is my name so important to you?" _Nick whispered again, but this time, his tone was colder, more of warning than of detachment. Joe looked to Kevin and Kevin looked back. Neither had a logical answer, but then again, when was any of this logical? _

"Because…if you are Nick…then you…you may be our brother." _Nick blinked once, taken aback. That was the answer he was expecting least of all. What he expected them to say was something like…If your Nick, then we are here to kill you, or something along those lines. _

"I don't have brothers." _He looked behind him again, swifter than before. _"So therefore, I am not Nick." _He moved to close the door again, but this time, he stopped on his own. _"Did you hear that?" _Kevin and Joe and the Professor looked to each other, each straining their ears. And then they heard it. Screaming. Laughter. Calls for help. _

"Nicky!" _Nick spun around and Joe and Kevin's mouths dropped open as they looked at the little girl. So this was why Nick kept looking back. The Professor looked to the little girl, only seeing her eyes. Her perfect eyes…so much like his own daughter…May…_

"Noki, go back to your room. It will be fine." _But she didn't. She ran over to Nick, who picked her up instantly, comforting the shaking girl as well as he could. _

"COME OUT DARKSINGER! COME OUT AND PLAY!" _A scream tore through the broken hall window and Nick froze, fear entering his eyes for the first time that night. _

"Xamon." He whispered, before turning to the trio. "I don't know you and really, I don't care to know you, but if you want to have a chance of living, get in." Then he walked into the apartment, placing the girl on his side, with practiced precision.

They only barely had time to follow, before the door was thrown closed and Nick was already stomping away, bringing the girl…Noki…To one of the two rooms that actually had a door. It turned out to be another bedroom, presumably Nick's.

Kevin and Joe were watching their possible little brother, who really wasn't all that 'little' anymore, like hawks who had sighted their next meal. Only Nick wasn't their meal. No, they were only curious, protective, and alarmed.  
The professor on the other hand, was solely focused on the girl, who sent them all curious looks over Nick's shoulder. Her green eyes were soft with fear and weary from lack of sleep, but he noticed that they were sharper and hardened, exactly like Nick's. No girl should have eyes like that, the Professor thought. But I know two that did.

"Stay in here, Nokia." There was no 'please', because the shouting and trashing from outside the door was too close, too close to waste time on pleasantries. The girl did not protest, as the tone of her brothers voice was enough to make her obey instantly. She knew that tone. She knew that bad guys were coming. And she knew that her brother would save her.

"It would really help if one of you turned out to be able to throw a punch." Nick told them quietly, his voice only audible to the three standing close by, as he pulled a sleeveless shirt over his head.

Loud banging sounds came from outside once more, accompanied by more screaming. Nick paid them no mind, but Joe and Kevin looked at the door with horror, finally ripping their eyes from the boy with the messy curls. Nick only was still moving, grabbing a pair of beaten up leather gloves, their fingers messily torn off them. He slid them on, not a care to the world seen on his face, but for anyone that knew him, they would know of his fear, his need to protect.

"DarkSinger! Come out, wherever ya are, ya know you can't win this!" The same voice called again and this time, the sounds of things breaking was closer.

"I did and I can." Nick whispered to himself, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, getting his mind ready for whatever was coming. Joe and Kevin just starred at the door and the Professor put his back on the door that hid Nick's sister, but his mind wasn't on the sounds coming from outside. In fact, he hadn't even noticed it yet.

The apartment was dead-silent and it was that silence that brought everyone to their senses of hat was going to happen in mere moments. The professor had finally noticed something was going on and looked rather nervous as he fingered the hem of his shirt, his eyes switching from the three teens to the door. The likeness in these boys was uncanny…Nick had to be the one.

Kevin wasn't sure what to do. He was supposed to protect them; he was their older brother…well one of them at least. If anything would happen to Joe, just after he'd found him, he wasn't sure what he would do. He stepped in front of the flat haired youngster, trying to block anything that would head for him, but Joe merely stepped aside with him, deep in thought as he stared at _his_ younger brother.

There was no doubt in Joe's mind that he was.

The only shabbily dressed man in the room was standing motionless in front of the locked door, his eyes closed as he tried to listen what was going on outside. He ignored the stares he was gaining from the others in his house. This was his job, his duty, and he intended to do it, even if it meant giving the role of 'host.' If Nick's hearing was right, and it was 99 out of 100 times, there were at least six, maybe seven if there was a shy one. He wasn't sure if he could take them, with the distraction of Nokia and the unwelcome guests.

He hated wasting innocent lives.

Then, the pounding reached their door, making half of the apartment shake with the force that was used.

"Open it!" A voice shrieked and immediately the wood splintered to pieces and Nick was sure. It was pointed; it was a planned action to kill him.

He braced himself on his heels, vaguely noting they were still bare as his face contorted into a snarl.  
Joe thought it resembled a mother lion, protecting her cubs. Only in human-male form. A brother protecting his sister, against all costs. Was it right to take Nick from Noki?

Seeing this, he immediately strolled forward, but was held back by Kevin. "No." Was the only thing the farmer-boy said, shaking his head. This was Nick's battle. Kevin saw that. This was way over their heads.  
Kevin also knew that if Joe stepped forward, he would be a prime target and he would be a distraction towards Nick, so he pushed him back, out of sight, into the shadows of the apartment.

With another blow, the remains of the door flew open and a man they all recognized stood proudly in the hole, a broad looking bloke next to him, who was grinning evilly. Nick made a sound that had all eyes on him. Did…did he just growl? The Professor blinked at the boy's hostility, recalculating everything that he had planned for this mission. If Nick was this bad for protecting Noki, how bad would he be for leaving her?

The guy at the door had overly long black hair, which now covered the black eye and he was still looking like he was in pain, but with the multiple, wild looking kids behind him, he wasn't looking as pathetic anymore. There were four more of them. Six in total. Against four of them. Not that they had high hopes of being useful, but thankfully, the room was almost as dark as the night outside, and the tree others went without being noticed by the intruders.

"Yer time is over, DarkSinger. The Administration will fall at our 'ands." The guy said, tearing his split lip open again in a smirk. The people behind him laughed, three deep and masculine, one higher, wickedly feminine. "Prepare for your death and that of your family." He nudged the broad monster beside him, who was eying Nick with small, prick points of eyes. He stepped forward, along with the four others. Most of them were skinny, scarily skinny. They looked like trapped animals, ready to do anything to get what they wanted. Ready to do anything for food, even if that meant facing their predator.

"What should we do with the lil' sis, eh?" Xamon sneered. "Maybe we should throw her out of the building, let the cops deal with her squished corpse." Nick tensed and Kevin couldn't help but compare him to an arrow on a bow, begging to be released and kill. His eyes never left the five circling, dirty young humans and their hatred, the yearning for murder, grew with every step they took. "Or maybe we should cut those cute little eyes of her out of her…"

Nick suddenly lunged for his throat with a speed and power neither of the older brothers had expected, but the broad guy was standing in his way, grabbing him by his throat and plunging him against the wall. He had expected this… Xamon had expected this. Could Nick win?

Xamon laughed, as he though they finally had stopped the untouchable DarkSinger, but the fight was far from over. Anyone with eyes could see that.

Nick immediately let himself go limp, making the bulky man, who was expecting struggling, loose his grip on him. He swiftly turned around and Kevin saw the muscles in his back contract as he bend upwards and kicked the guy in his stomach, bending him over his knee, before shoving him backwards against the same wall, where he doubled over in pain. Nick then proceeded to punch the guy's throat, making him fall to the ground, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, and slump, in a dead faint. He wheezed, shallowly breathing, but Nick's attention had turned back to the wounded man already, glaring daggers.

Joe, Kevin and the Professor were in shock at the unashamed acts of violence they were witnessing. How had Nick gotten involved with this?

The boy with the black eye spoke again; "You're on yer own, NightSinger. No one's wanting to help ya." Xamon laughed as he purposefully got Nick's name wrong, but Nick did not fall prey to the goading. He was calm, controlled, an oiled machine doing what it was programmed for.  
Then, with a snap of Xamon's fingers, all hell broke loose.

As the four remaining kids charged on the boy in his sweatpants and shirt. Four against one and Nick began to look like the prey more and more.

Kevin couldn't take it anymore. Brother or not, he couldn't let this happen. He sped forward, using the fact that the punks seemed to have forgotten about him completely and pulled one of them away to topple over a couch, in order to reach the inner circle.

"Not true." He spat, siding with the boy he'd met only minutes ago. Nick looked over to him, thanks and confusion in his eyes. Kevin clearly read the silent message of '_what are you doing?'  
_Kevin turned to glare at Xamon, Nick mimicking his actions after another second of staring.

"Then prepare to die with him." Xamon spat towards him and Kevin yelled; "Joe, protect the girl and the professor."

Joe nodded and pushed the professor towards the door of the bedroom. He knew he wasn't fit for a fight. He'd never even had to defend himself against anything.  
His hands were trembling as they were. He'd had too much stress and this was just too much.  
His shaking fingers pushed open the door, revealing a barely lit room and a sleepy, but very scared little girl.  
The door creaked open, but his attention was taken by a sudden cry of rage.

"Hey!"

Nick straightened and smiled at the call, everyone looking to the door. A girl with dirty brown hair and equally large brown eyes walked in. She was small, but naturally so, not unhealthy looking like the dogs of humans. "I thought I smelled scum stinking up this room." She stated coldly, walking to Nick's side and touching his hand for a moment. "You're dumber than you look Xamon, for coming back." Shadows were cast over her face as she glowered at the remaining kids.

"How did you know?" Nick whispered to the girl, who smiled, eyes on the ones circling.

"I didn't. I heard the screams and thought I would check it out." The girl replied, making Nick roll his eyes and shaking his head before looking back to the intruders.

"Alright, enough chitchat." Xamon spat out, not liking how the odds were growing in Nick's favour. He knew how Macy fought and he knew how Nick fought, but this new guy…who knew about him? "Boys, lets dethrone the king."

Everyone, including Xamon, ran at the three. Kevin and Macy instantly launched themselves at Xamon's remaining three minions as Nick stood still, letting Xamon come to him. Joe and the Professor watched in pure fear and feeling more than useless. Joe needed to help his brother, but he was too powerless. The Professor wanted to help, but he was too old. There was utterly nothing they could do. Except for watching in horror and standing like a pair of idiots.

Macy ducked easily under the girls first blow, her smile turned into a sneer as she kicked out, knocking her opponent to the ground. Her heart jumped in surprise when she felt the opponents hand grab her ankle and pull her down too. She looked into the eyes of her opponent and gauged the same dark and greasy hair and soulless eyes. This was Xamon's sister. Macy smiled grimly as a horrid thought entered her head. Why not do to her as Xamon wanted to do to Noki? But of course, with her own little Macy Misa spin on things.

Kevin was surrounded by the two remaining gang members, who knew Nick was Xamon's and Macy was Achila's. They were dirty blonde haired twins, with hollow, dirty green and brown eyes, flickering with the lighting that fell through the hole in the dour. They carried double wicked smiles.

Kevin managed to block his opponent's first blow, but he knew that this fight would end badly for him. He didn't know how these people fought here. Sure, he had the strength and the speed, but these guys had the experience. He had to prepare himself for an unfair fight. One that he had to win.

Xamon charged at Nick, not at all put off by how Nick did not move an inch. Xamon knew Nick's style by now. It was his time to best the king.

Macy dodged blow by blow, not even trying to land one of her own. Xamon's sister was getting agitated by this and soon trying to egg her on, to bait her into fighting. Macy did not take the bait. Macy had her own unique way of fighting. One most didn't se coming from this petite girl.

_That's it big girl, _Macy thought grimly, _tire yourself out. _She kept ducking and dodging, doing her best to stay away form the fragile things in the dark apartment, like walls for example. She heard her opponents breathing turn from steady and rhythmic to heavy and quick. Now was the time to strike. Macy lunged forward, her lethal fingers instantly finding their target as she scratched the girl's eyes, not even flinching as she felt them and the blood. Xamon's sister screamed in agony. Macy spared one of her eyes, leaving her with some sight so she may have a chance at living in this dirty and violent town they all called home. But she did not give the girl time to recuperate. No, she pushed her towards the window and swiftly opened it before knocking the girl out of it. But she did not let her fall. Oh no, Macy Misa was not a killer. She preferred scaring over murder. But she did drop the girl after a moment.

Xamon screamed for his sister, who, unknown to him, had landed safely on the fire escape below. Macy locked the window after closing it and looked to the fight, wondering if she was needed to jump in. Xamon turned back to Nick and launched himself back, both of them having yet to land a single blow.  
So far, no one had seen the young girl with green eyes, who was hiding behind the trembling professor's legs and watching her brother without a sound passing from her young lips.

Macy knew she should stay out of this and her mind was recalculating her options when suddenly the guy Kevin had thrown over the couch jumped on her back. She screamed, as his hands folded around her throat, but they were gone as soon as they had come. When she turned around, she saw the unknown boy, Joe, receive a well aimed kick to his chest from the lithe boy he'd pulled off of her.  
He hadn't been able to stand it. He had to do something and his instincts, his gentlemen instincts, hadn't allowed him to let a girl be hurt. No matter how he wanted to help Kevin, protect the girl; make sure the naïve professor was okay, he had to do something.

Kevin and his opponents were still locked in a tight combat. Each had thrown their fair share of punches, but Kevin was more beaten up than the others. But Kevin still had fire in him. It just needed a bit of breath to be ignited.

"You're a joke." One twin sneered, the other finishing his sentence. "And once we finish ya, ol' DarkSinger is gonna die, along with 'is worthless sister."

Why hello breath.

Kevin pounced at those words, hating the fact that he wasn't strong enough to stop these men from attacking his brother. He may not be strong enough, but he had more of a reason to fight than they did. Kevin had something more to protect. He had an innocent guy and young girl who could be his family. And that was enough.

Kevin landed a single blow to the guys jaw, hitting the other with his elbow, straight in his face, wincing and turning green as he felt the guys nose crack and shatter under his blow, as the blonde haired boy slumped to the ground. The first twin blubbered out a scream of pain, his beady eyes filling quickly with agony and rage. Kevin didn't give him a chance to clench a fist. His fist was instantly hitting his stomach and as he doubled over in pain, Kevin used the cheapest shot in the book. He went down, jaw in one hand, his area in the other. Kevin knelt by him and swallowed, not used or liking this feeling of power her had over this poor man and his brother. Kevin took a deep breath and went against his kind heart by slapping his man on temples and rolling his unconscious body out the door. Then he looked up, locking eyes with a panting Joe and a triumphant looking Macy, above yet another unconscious body.  
It was only Nick and Xamon left now. And the winner was still undetermined.

"You're gonna lose it all, NightSinger!" Xamon taunted as he took a moment to wipe the caked blood off his chin, effectively reopening his split lip again. "How can you save your sister when you can't even save yourself?" Nick set his jaw at those words, saying nothing, letting nothing come into his face. Still unseen, Nokia glared at the bad man, looking very much like Nick with the amount of anger in her eyes. But she kept her silence, knowing that if her brother saw her here, she would be in big trouble. "But maybe she isn't worth enough to save…" Nick blinked, but that was the only reaction Xamon got out of him. "Maybe ya want to see me gouge out her pretty 'ittle eyes and maybe ya want to hear her scream." He hissed. Nick did nothing. "Maybe ya want to see her dead."

Nick jumped just as the last syllable fell from that demon's tongue and his fist landed right over Xamon's good eye. "Maybe you forgot that goading me isn't the best idea." He flicked back Xamon's hair, smiling grimly at his other black eye. "How's the eye?" He joked, his tone dark and unremorseful. He was still the one in control; he was still the stronger of the two. Joe took a shaky intake when he realized that his younger brother had been the one to hurt the other boy. That this was why Xamon wanted revenge.

Xamon was drawn in with words more easily than Nick was and he instantly shot his first forward, everyone wincing as it hit Nick's chest. But Nick did not go down nor did he act on the pain that flashed in his eyes. No, he used the momentum from Xamon's fist to bend back and grab a hold of Xamon's wrist, pulling him back with him. Xamon's eye widened as his feet left the ground and as he soared over Nick's head, only to land back first over Nick's coffee table, which amazingly, did not break. Nick let go of the wrist in time to put his hands on the floor and do a cartwheel to get out of that position.

"Damn you." Xamon spat, getting up slowly. Why hadn't Nick taken the opening? Kevin and Macy both did… Nick's actions became clear to only the Professor, who was analyzing every single move Nick made.  
Nick used his opponent's strengths against them; a smart way to fight and one that didn't require too much energy. But why did the Professor get the feeling that Nick was holding back? After all, one can't be the so called 'king' by using this strategy only. Nick was waiting for something…but what?

"Damn yer mother, who barely keeps ya alive and who shouldn't even give a hoot fer the worthless brats she birthed." Something flashed across Nick's eyes, but it wasn't anger. No…it was more like he was ridiculing Xamon for a mistake. But what mistake? "And damn that 'ittle sister of yers. If she weren't so valuable to ya, instead of killing that worthless brat, I may just have raised her as me own…and shown her a lesson or two in pleasing her master."

The control in Nick's eyes suddenly broke and if anyone had blinked, they would have missed what happened next. Nick had lunged toward Xamon, looking very much like a rattlesnake lashing out to bite its prey and in that moment, he had pushed Xamon against the wall, his arm harshly and forcefully placed along his throat. Nick's other hand was holding Xamon's wrists tightly. Shock was the overruling emotion in his eyes as Xamon suddenly found himself pinned against the wall, with an outraged gang leader standing in front of him. In fact, everyone was shocked, but not by the sudden ferocity on Nick's part, or the speed, but of his eyes.

Nick's eyes where filled with rage and hatred, a lack of control that scared everyone, including the pale and sickly looking youth he had beneath his arms. Nick's arm pressed down harder on Xamon's throat, his remarks about Nick's sister obviously not forgotten. Xamon had found the one thing that he could say to make Nick attack him. He had insinuated bringing Nokia into the world of the gangs.  
And he hadn't ready for the attack to come. No one was. No one was ready to see the sudden lack of color in Nick's skin; no one was ready to see the readiness to kill in Nick's eyes. No one was ready to see how far Nick would take this. No one wanted to see him kill. But everyone knew that no one could stop him.

"What's stopping me from doing it?" Nick whispered, his voice carrying easily over the ringing silence. "You threatened my sister...my only family...and I know you Xamon. I know that you would kill them, that you would use her. So why don't I rid of you before you can them?"

"Nick…" Macy's call was ignored and Kevin suspected it was fully unheard by the enraged teen.

Macy took a step forward, but Joe grabbed her arm gently and shook his head. Xamon's eyes pleaded to save him, but when no help came he paled even further and stopped breathing, his eyes bugging out of his head. Blood was running freely over his face now. "You're pathetic. You're worthless. No one will cry when I've rid of you." Xamon swallowed at Nick's cold, unhinged words. There was a pause in the room, the silence only being filled by Xamon's terrified bursts of breath. "Goodbye Xamon. Enjoy Hell."

"Nick!" Joe called, but nothing stopped the gang leader's next movement. Could anything stop him?

Nick pressed his arm down, slowly and drawn out as Xamon gurgled in pain and turned purple from the lack of air. Knowing that in a few seconds, his neck would be broken and his life gone.

But before that moment could happen, a little cry stopped Nick's actions entirely.

"No!" Nick froze, his eyes widening as he looked to Xamon. Control slowly wormed its way back into Nick's too intense eyes, clearing them, and the horror at what he had been doing showed in his horrified expression. But he didn't move a muscle and Xamon was still slowly suffocating. Nick turned his head slowly, meeting Joe's horrified eyes, then Kevin's wide orbs, switching to the Professors disbelieving ones. And finally, skipping right over Macy's sad eyes, as he looked down to his sister. His adopted sister, whom he'd sworn to protect not only for the mother that took him as her own, but because she was the only good and happy thing in his world. He took in her fear filled eyes and her shaking, already too skinny form and with hideous realization, he knew that it was _him _that scared her. He did this to her… and he was about to kill…  
"No Nicky…" Nokia pleaded again, her little voice trembling like he'd never heard it do before and Nick blinked a few times, breathing heavily and he nodded, closing his eyes for a moment and turning back to his would be victim. His eyes now showed nothing, but the emotions were still there, beneath the surface.

"You're lucky my sister has a heart." He dropped his arm, but he grabbed Xamon by the hair and forced him to face the door. "And my name is DarkSinger." He whispered, throwing Xamon into the hall. "If I ever see your pathetic face around here again…" He let the threat hang in the air as Xamon took off running. He slammed the door shut and kicked the broken lock out of the way before he pressed his back to the wall and slid down it. His hands went to his curls and his eyes to the floor as he drew his knees to his chest.

He had scared his sister. He had shown her what he was trying to protect her from. He had allowed himself to be consumed by his anger and it almost made him do something he swore that never to even think about. And he did this all in front of his sister. His little innocent sister. Nick wouldn't be surprised if she never looked at him again. If she never spoke to him, hugged him, or wanted to sleep next to him again. He scared her. He showed her the truth of the world they lived in and probably scarred her for it. He was a monster, the one and only.

Nokia walked out from behind the professor's legs and stared at her brother for three seconds before running to him and latching to his side. Nick jumped and looked startled to see his sister so close to him. She looked up at him with huge green eyes, soft with acceptance and love and fear and tears. Nick sighed before pulling her close, wrapping the soft fabric of one of his old shirts around his fingers. Softly tracing her outline, as if to check it was really her.

"I'm sorry Noki." He whispered into her hair, pulling her close, with her bare little feet resting against his thighs. "I'm sorry." Nokia said nothing but just cried with loud terrified tears into Nick's chest. "It's ok now Noki…I promise." Nick started rocking gently, ignoring how Macy sat next to him too and curled up against his other side. He ignored how Joe and Kevin edged closer, sitting down against the wall, dazed by what had happened. He ignored how the Professor never once stopped looking at Nokia.

Noki was his priority now. He had to make sure that she knew everything would be ok.  
He had to make sure _she_ was okay. He was experiencing a bad case of tunnel vision. All his attention focussed on the little creature in his arms.

"Would you have done it Nicky?" Noki asked after a few minutes, her tears dying down as she pulled away from him to stare into his brown eyes. They weren't like hers and not like her momma's. She frowned at them, but then snuggled back into her brother's chest. Smiling softly as Nick instinctively pulled her closer. Nick didn't answer immediately, softly rubbing her brow, to ease the frown from her face.

During that time, Joe was staring at the scene, torn between what he wanted and what he saw.  
He'd never seen anyone this loving towards a child. He'd never experienced it himself, or at least, he didn't remember. How could he take that from little Nokia too. Could they take Nick from her? Would he want to? If they could bring her along… the mother…what were they going to do?

Kevin surveyed the scene with blank eyes, feeling a pull towards the hills he grew up in. Longing for the little trouble makers he had left to go on this insane journey.

"If you hadn't been there to stop me…" Nick took a deep breath and it looked like he was forcing the words out. "I would have killed him, Noki. He was trying to hurt you. I lost control. I would have done it and I would have been haunted by it for the rest of my life."

"Would he have been in your dreams? Like Sjimmy is?" Nick looked to Noki for a moment and the Professor stiffened besides Joe, who looked at him oddly.

A dream?

"I am sure of it." Nick answered, his hand unconsciously clenching the pendant around his neck. "Thank you Noki, for saving him— and me."

The young girl smiled up at her brother before putting her head under his chin and closing her eyes.  
"Welcome." She whispered and Nick smiled, resting his chin gently on her head and gazing down at her with such love that it hurt Kevin to watch it. His mom used to look at him like that. His real mom.

"I love you Noki." Nick whispered and the young girl didn't respond as she had already fallen into the waves of sleep. Nick looked up to us after a moment of absentmindedly playing with her hair and leaning a bit on Macy. "Thanks, for protecting her." There was a slight hint of a thankful smile on his face. "And it's a bit late now— I still don't understand why and it doesn't matter, but yeah, my name is Nick."

They sat like that for quite some time.

A curly haired, muscular-slim boy with a little blonde girl in his arms, staring into the darkness of a nearly crushed apartment.

A worried brunette, her eyes full of curiosity towards her friend's guests, but her mouth wisely shut.

Two more boys, one with curls, one without, both wondering about how their renewed acquaintance with each other went so terribly wrong. Wondering what had happened in each other's lives. Starting to unconditionally love already.

Then there was one man standing, lost in thoughts and memories. Plans and knowledge. Worrying about the future.

There was little time, he noted as he saw pairs of eyes close, one after another, sinking away in the depths of their dreams. Very little time.

Nobody noticed the harsh coldness of the metal around the newly reunited brother's necks.

**_Same time; a small farm in northern Italy._****  
**  
Widower Pollon Jones was staring at the ceiling of his small bedroom, his eyes half closed, but far from drifting off to sleep.

He knew he would need his strength in the morning, when he would work the land they had left, after which he would help at the local elementary school, earning some extra money for his family.  
He had sold a lot of his property, but it was better this way. There was less work for him, but enough land left to give them a living. Enough time to see his children grow up for once.

Things had chanced drastically since the death of his wife and Kevin's depart. He'd become responsible and it was pressing on his shoulders. But his shoulders were fit for it and oddly enough, it gave him satisfaction. He didn't see the fright in the eyes of his sons anymore when they looked at him. He saw the same love they'd held for their mother and older brother.

He sighed. _Kevin_.

He wondered where the boy was now. If he was doing all right. If he'd found his birth family yet.  
If he would ever return.

Pollon turned to his side, almost kicking his sheets of the bed. He missed the warmth of a female body against his. He missed his wife. His lovely, lovely… He couldn't bare to think her name. She'd loved Kevin, like she had loved all the children they once thought they'd never have. Pollon regretted the fact that he never had. He'd been the worst father possible for an orphaned and scarred boy like Kevin. He wanted to blame his own father, who'd never given him much affection either, but he didn't. He was bad ad being a father. But he was trying to change it.

He tossed again. Restless as he watched the moonlight trail through the small and only window in the bedroom. He wanted to let her know how he was doing. He wanted her approval. To see that love in her eyes once again. That unconditional love. That proud glance. He wanted to let him know his choice to follow his own path was okay. They were fine. They were doing well. His brothers were better off then he had once been.

The soft sound of little footsteps roused him from his musings. He soon was sitting up in bed, not yet used to the aching muscles he slept with every night.

The wooden door was halfway open and through the crack he saw the illuminated face of Antonio. The boy was small for his age, but he looked especially scrawny in the oversized pajama shirt he was wearing. It reached to his eleven year old thighs. His feet slapped on the wood of the hallway floor as he passed the door. His eyes were still closed.

Pallon frowned and slid out of his bed, hiking up his own pajama bottoms –which had grown to be too large on him— in order to waddle after his son. Antonio was headed towards the small stairs that led to the kitchen. A dangerous place for the children, they were warned to stay away, but it was especially tricky with one's _eyes closed_.

Fear filled the old man's heart as he saw his son head straight for the hole in the floor and he ran forward, cursing the low riding pants as he sped. His hand only barely caught the tiny wrist, pulling it back towards him and he barely flinched when he pulled the young body towards his own. He still wasn't used to hugging them, loving like a parent did, though he was working on it.  
The relieve that washed through him was shortly lived, as Antonio started trashing in his arms, kicking and releasing the most agonized wails from his lips. He hit his father in the chest, badly aimed fists pounding on his shoulders as silent tears trailed over his face.

Pallon's heart broke as he looked at the pained expression of the young child. He had been through so much; he'd been so brave after loosing a mother and a brother.

"Shh, it's okay." He hushed, trying to calm Antonio, so he could properly soothe him.  
It didn't work. It only made Antonio open his eyes and Pallon gasped as he recognized what he saw.

The pale, glazed over eyes were all too familiar and he saw them doubled in Antonio's face as well as on the little face in his memory. Colored with different emotions. In the past, he'd been uncaring when Kevin had his nightmare attacks. The times didn't seem to even be present as he wandered and cried for his lost family. It had happened frequently, once every few months, but it had never ceased to annoy him and worry Kevin's adoptive mom.

His eyes had been as pale and unseeing as Antonio's were now. He only saw what was inside his head, eating him up like it had Kevin. He was crying and in pain. His whole body was shaking with uncontrollable tremors and he mumbled incoherent words into the silence of the night. Pallon stared at him in desperation, not knowing what to do with the suffering boy as he held him at an arms length. The boy's face was contorted in an expression of obvious discomfort as whatever it was that haunted him, tortured him from the inside.

In the past he'd turned his back on Kevin. Now, he did what his wife had always done and pulled Antonio on his lap, where he held him closely until it would be over. It had never lasted beyond the rise of dawn with Kevin. He prayed it wouldn't be so with Antonio. He needed him to be okay. Failing wasn't an option. If needed, he would hold him for hours, days if necessary. He would never abandon one of his children again. He sat there through the night, with the boy in his lap.

"Kevin, wherever you are. Be safe."

**_Same time, a large mansion in the UK._**

The Lady Dean pulled her robe tighter around herself as she watched her most trusted and loyal servant crumble before her eyes. He had been so strong during the last couple of weeks, but now, as his niece lay beneath the hands of the doctors, shrieking and crying. Robert's eyes were breaking, she could see as much. He had pulled her through the loss of Joseph, the disappearance of Estella. Her heart had been broken, but he had been strong. He had taken care of her as she I cried, he had reassured her when she doubted herself.

Haven't I loved him so? _Of course you did._ Wasn't his life well enough?_ It was the best life he could've had_. What made him go?_ A call only he can hear. I'm sure he has his reasons_.

He was the reason she hadn't send out search parties yet. He was the reason she was still up and doing the business she was supposed to do. He was the reason she'd eaten and slept and now, shudders of repressed cries tore through his body as he watched his little niece trash and scream on the hospital bed as she was carried into the ambulance.

"It's going to be okay, Robert. She's going to get the best medical care she could possibly have." She tried to reassure him, hugging him as best as she could, by hanging onto his arm. It didn't occur to her that his pain came from seeing the child in so much pain and being unable to stop it. Her mind just didn't work that way.

The house had been so silent. Without Joseph, without Stella. But he almost preferred the silence over the heart-tearing screams of little Kiara. Her eyes were what haunted him the most though, at this moment. The blank, unseeing eyes. It had scared him beyond anything. He'd faced what would be considered worse things, but the eyes had been truly terrifying. Like a spider had spun its web over her eyes, locking her away inside.

They stood there, on the front porch steps, in the light of the ambulance. The tall, slim woman, her eyes rid of the sparkle they once held and the broad, black man in his butlers uniform. It was cold and it rained, but they didn't care as they watched the paramedics work over the child, not knowing what to do and eventually rolling her into the car and driving off.

"I'll tell them to get the car." Lady Dean whispered softly. Big Robert could only was one question on their minds.

_What was happening at their once so peaceful Mansion? Disappearing teens, little girls with strange diseases. _

_What more would come? _

**_August 2, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, Administration district._**

The professor's eyes were long closed, as he was lost in a deep, dreamless slumber, as always. The long shadows of the apartment fell over his worn features and seemed to highlight the first grey hairs in his thick mane of hair. He was too tired to keep watching over the teens and the three keys he'd finally brought together.

Joe's head was resting on Kevin's shoulder, equally deep asleep, a drip of drool at the corner of his mouth. Kevin's head was tilted back against the wall. His legs pulled up to protect him against the cold that was seeping in through the cracks in the windows and the open door.

Not 2 feet away from him lay Macy Misa, who was frowning in her very light sleep, ready to wake up at any moment and defend herself, if necessary. It was an instinct stronger then herself; survival, protection, defence.

Nokia's head was now resting on her lap, calm and unknowing that her older brother lay curled up in a pained position on his side, his eyes open and pale blank as he whispered in agony.

"I didn't kill him, don't leave me. I'm your brother. I love you."

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Feedback?


	8. Hallucination

**Chibiyu:** Sorry about the delay! This is our first update of the NEW YEAR!

_Silver:_ We wanted to update before christmas... We really did! Only we didn't. There are, however 5600 new words for all you lovelies!

**Chibiyu:** My fault we didn't update before then. I kinda... forgot. haha. Onto the story!

_Silver;_ also, we kind of lied about there being an explanation scene in this chapter.. Yep. Oops. Oh well, you'll survive.

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August 2nd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey; Administration district.

_Journal entry of July 12, 1982.__  
Today's tests turned out a complete waste of our time. It irks me to see our hard work crumbling beneath my fingers. Even Lucas says we have to try a new trail. I'm frustrated; I want results and I have little patience when it comes to worthless waste of money on things that don't help at all. _

_I need to focus; I need time and ideas. We know the __somnus-vera exists, we've made the keys. We've seen it, tasted it and now it is out of our reach. And this is what frustrates me; we are so close to the world beyond our own and yet it is still out of our reach. Our fingers are inches from touching it and achieving our goal, but every inch is a year set back. We don't have that time. We don't have ideas to bridge those inches. That is my burden. _

_Michael is still acting incredulous towards our experiments, saying it is affecting his precious May. He makes me feel ashamed; have I not raised him with sense of curiosity, the perseverance to start and finish a job at hand? He knows as well as I that I shall never rest until I have found the solution to __a problem. I will show him our theories are very much facts, we will tame the dreams—I've told him this. He's consistent in his belief I am delusional. At least in that he is unalterable. _

_I have more faith in the young Lucas boy; Thomas. He shows interest in our project and he and his father have a theory on mind-protection. To their opinion, a mind is strengthened, more capable of protecting itself when it has been when disbelieving or otherwise capable of rational thought. This is implying that the adults we've been testing on have a mind block that is too strong for us to break. _

_It is truly an interesting thought: protection against __the power of the sumnus-vera. I didn't think it possible, but it is true that we only have a little amount of its true strength. With our ignorance grows the risks and this theory may prove to be quite useful to our endeavour. They think we need to experiment more with the keys, but I am of the opinion that first, we need to see it work before we dive back into the unknown, which is as unfathomable as fear and as dangerous. I'm not yet sure how we will separate the strong-minded from the weak and even if we succeed, how the dreams will react to every separate individual, but I am done with the pointless waiting. While we wait our patients are merely sleeping away our money. _

_It is time for a revolution within a revolution. _

Professor Savage sighed as he closed the leather cover of his father's journal. His father had never been one for sentiments. His gaze travelled up, over the stained, barely white walls and the door less frame that led to Nick's bedroom and towards the ratty couch on which the youngest brother lay.  
The professor felt like he could use a good rest too, but at this time he felt like he had to stay alert, if only for a few hours, now that Joseph had gone to get Stella from their hotel and Kevin was, with Macy's directions, currently getting all of them some nutrition.

He almost had to fight the sleep trying to creep up on him, full of promises and faces of those he missed so much. But it was never _those _dreams. He'd long since learned to avoid them just as they'd long since learned to avoid him. But alone he wasn't strong enough; he needed the brothers, the keys and what little power they had over the unconscious world of nightmares.

He was eternally grateful the young girl, Nick's girlfriend possibly? had woken all of them up when dawn arrived by sneaking out the door. She had claimed that she needed to settle some things and warned them to not wake Nicholas under any circumstances after she supervised his brothers carrying him to the disgusting old couch.  
Her menacing stare, something Joseph had immediately dubbed the 'glare of death'- apparently only learned through a life on the streets-had quite effectively done the job of convincing them. The professor had seen the same glare, though intensified and no hint of mock on Nicholas's face during the barbaric fight that had taken place. It was truly intimidating and one the Professor hated being victim of and yet he knew that the glare would often meet his gaze. Especially when he told them what it was he collected them for.

There was nothing intimidating about the boy now, though. His face was still contorted in a grimace and his fists were balled, as if he could lash out every second, but he also had a kind of vulnerable air around him, especially now that his little sister wasn't tucked under his arm anymore. She'd also been brought to her bedroom, quite luckily with a door, mumbling and pulling poor Kevin's curls only hours ago.

Professor Savage observed the boy with curiosity; he'd been a mere 2 months of age at their separation-young, innocent and with relatively no protection against the dreams. He must have been even younger when his father had given him the key. He couldn't help but wonder how this had affected the boy.

His dual coloured eyes trailed over the tan face, the freckles on his cheek, the frown on his forehead, his twitching eyelids; he was dreaming.

He wondered.

Softly, he placed the journal back in his rucksack, trying to be as discrete as possible when he stood up and walked over to Thomas Lucas's youngest son. Narrowing his eyes, he took in Nicholas's expression. He'd seen and observed sleeping people for years and was fairly sure that this kind of discomfort was rare, even with nightmares.

Could he be?

Slowly, his hand reached towards Nicholas's face, almost shaking with anticipation and fright.  
He'd seen the keys; he knew the dream-world was real. He'd been too naïve with May, for he hadn't known the symptoms, no idea what to do.

Could it be?

He shook his head. It wasn't possible, not with light streaming through the window.

He touched Nicholas's right eye, meaning to pull it open, to see if his assumption was right, when suddenly, his wrist was yanked away. With a gasp, he pulled his arm towards his chest, but the painful grip didn't ease. It only grew stronger, cutting off the blood flow of his entire left hand, quickly making the fingers feel as if they had been dipped in ice water. Breathing heavily, he looked back at the boy, frightened he might have accidentally woken him, but he was still submerged in the sea of unconsciousness. Just when the professor relaxed, Nicholas's eyes flew open, revealing two blank eyes. There was no trace of the usual rich brown all of the Lucas-spawns possessed.

He swallowed heavily and brought a hand to his mouth, covering it with a shaking hand to keep from making too much noise. This wasn't possible, this was insane. It was past the rising of the sun, it should have stopped!

He sat back, his wrist still firmly held in the air by Nicholas's wrenching fist, staring into the boy's unseeing eyes.

The dreams had reached him past the break of dawn.  
The professor swallowed, but leaned forward; he'd never been this close to Oneiro.

Then, the plump lips parted, speaking with a dual tone the professor had hear so often from his own offspring.

"Stronger," he whispered, "It's getting stronger."

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**Window-less. Door-less. Narrow. Tall. Endless. **

**Where am I?**

**I looked around, surveying the small space with hazy unease and yet I felt strangely calm, as I stood in the middle of an unfamiliar hallway. I cocked my head to the side and I felt like more then saw, the more the dark grey walls thrummed with energy. Strong energy, dark energy. I lifted my hand, spreading the fingers and comparing the pale skin with the dark background, trying vigorously to forget how it was shaking. I shook my head; it annoyed me. I reached out with the intention of touching the wall. I frowned, confused, as for some reason, it felt like the energy called out to me, making my hand rise; making me yearn to reach for it; to touch it. I think I wanted to feel the power of the energy; I wanted to make it mine.**

**Suddenly light blinded me; snapping me out of the thrumming trance, lighting up the hallway and chasing away the shadows I hadn't realised were reaching for me. Something burned on my chest with urgent pulsing, making me gasp. A startled yelp left my lips and I snatched back my hand as the energy's hold weakened and the room bathed in light.**

_**My pendant,**_** my mind suddenly registered, **_**my pendant was burning.**_

**My fingers curled around the already cooling metal and I suddenly felt safe. Like this light was keeping the darkness in the walls surrounding me contained. Tearing my eyes away from the pendant, I stared down the rectangular hall and was relieved to see the lights above my head on and extending as far as I could see. For some reason light meant safety. Darkness only bestowed fear upon my heart.  
I had never been afraid of the dark before though, but these weren't ordinary shadows now were they?**

**I looked down again to the simple pendant, rolling it between my fingers. This wasn't the first time it burned against my skin and I had learned that this silver seemed to live a life of its own-warning me of dangers that I knew not of. My mother, my real mother, once told me it would protect me and that it would keep me safe where she had failed to do so. And so far it had, but how had she known that I would need this kind protection? And from what was I being protected from?**

**I looked behind me, suddenly feeling like I was being watched, but there was nothing but the same endless hallway, stretching on the other way, leaving me in the middle with no where to go.  
Even though this place lacked windows, doors and was positively empty: I felt the presence of others.  
No one could possibly come in and I would hear something coming, long before I saw it, but the hairs on the back of my neck rose as I turned around again, quicker this time.**

**The silence rang loud and true, all but deafening my ears; I was alone. **

**"Hello?" I called out; looking back to the direction I'd first faces as I brushed a stray curl from my eyes. I felt stupid, shouting to no one, but the sound of the echo kept me sane. This silence was too complete; I had no doubt that any man would go insane in this hallway, locked with only the absence of the simple sounds. **

**I had to be careful.**

_**Now how did I get here?**_** I questioned myself, trying to stay rational, now that my mind had been cleared from the influence of the pulsing shadows. The last thing I remembered was being outside, standing on a stone mountain with rocks freezing my bare feet, but now I was here. My feet were still bare but I was no longer standing on what felt like the top of this world. I suddenly remembered the green eyes, the eyes giving warning me that someone was coming before Sjimmy came. But her warning wasn't about the too young killed; maybe she'd warned me for the people that brought me here to this hall… **

**But who were these people? Who had taken me here? Why did they move me? Were they the reason why I'd blacked-out so suddenly?**

**All of these questions and not a single clue to answer them. **

**What had happened in my last dream? I looked to my knuckles, happy to see them clear of bruises from the fictional fight and happy that the two brothers, the old man, and the little girl –my sister, hadn't she been my sister? — were not here with me. I shook my head; I shouldn't dwell on dreams, at least not these dreams. I needed to focus on the reality in front of me. I needed to focus on getting out of here. And to do that, I need to take a step. Whoever brought me here may want exactly that but if I ever wanted to get out of here and find out what happened to my home, my family, then I couldn't afford fear. **

**I took a deep breath and with feigned confidence, I lifted my right foot and the world spun around me. I fell to my knees, screaming in panic as the hall rotated around me so the lights were on the floor and I was kneeling on the ceiling. My fingers were desperately trying to find something to hold onto, but they scratched uselessly over the surface of the ceiling. **

**I wasn't falling. Why wasn't I falling?**

**I slowly stood; bracing myself for the moment gravity would catch up with me. But it didn't.**

_**'There are things in this world you won't understand so don't question them.'**_

**I blinked as my mother's words rung in my mind and I nodded; I didn't understand this and I wouldn't waste my time questioning it. Questions will only hinder my escape. I grabbed my necklace as it began to fall from my neck and I stopped, staring at it. Why was gravity affecting this but not my footing? I stared ahead blankly for a moment, taking a deep breath and nodding to myself, vaguely noticing the absence of blood rushing to my head. I began to walk.**

**A light went out as my foot hit the ground and I stared at the point where it had been just moments ago. I came to a startled halt. What had happened? **

**Don't dwell upon what cannot be answered, I reminded myself and took another step. **

**The light closest to my left foot went out as it met the ground—technically the ceiling. **

**I took a third step and the same happened; only this time, the sounds of crying met my ears.  
Soft, mournful whimpers. They were close, almost right… under me. I looked down—up, my hand flying to my mouth as I watched three kids sitting on the floor, oblivious to each other and to me. **

**The first was a young green eyed girl with an appearance that was unnervingly alike to that of the little girl in my dreams; the sister to my dream-self and the eyes I saw yesterday, the ones that had warned me. **

**This wasn't the same girl; it couldn't be that girl. **

**Her eyes were void of a soul but the emotions were prominent. How is that even possible; to feel without a soul? Her long dirty blonde hair looked just that; dirty and grimy, as if she hadn't washed it in years. The roots were gray with filth. Her cheeks, which should have been rosy and glowing, were sunken and pale. Then it struck me and I nearly chocked on my breath; this girl was dead. **

**Dead and yet alive. Her body was dead but her mind wasn't, her heart wasn't. How is that **_**possible**_**?**

**I forced myself to look away and instead looked at the next child, fearing what I might find but to my relief, this boy was very much alive. His skin was healthy and his eyes had a soul, even though they still seemed void. It was like they were staring into a world I couldn't see. His tan skin flowed perfectly with his dark brown hair and large eyes. He was skinny, very small, but very much alive. **

**The next child was another girl, sitting on her knees, her copper skin glowing faintly in the light that was in front of her. Her eyes shone with something, I could tell as I stared into them, but there wasn't much. It was like she was held by the same force that held the other two, only she was fighting it. Or maybe she just hadn't been exposed to it as long as the others? Her curled hair fell over her shoulders and her dark eyes stared into the same oblivion. **

**All of their eyes held the same fear, the same pain and the same hate that radiated from the walls. I was standing frozen above them, upside-down on the ceiling, though it seemed the other way around. I was too frightened to move now that I wasn't alone anymore. **

**My hand instinctively curled tighter around the silver around my neck. Would this have been my fate if I'd come in contact with the energy? **

**I braced myself and took another step, extra careful not to touch anything and like before, the lights went out and another child grew from the sudden shadows, sitting cross-legged on the burnt out light. He couldn't have been older than four years old. Another step, another child. The pattern of boy, girl continued for ten steps until I stopped again. **

**I couldn't make myself go further. This was all just too strange. Too out of place. Too twisted. It wasn't normal. It was frightening. Wherever I was- no, whoever took me had a sick, twisted mind.**

**I didn't want to move, for if I moved, I'd extinguish another light, I'd see another caged child. But caged by what?**

**"Hey, kids?" I called out to the unmoving forms but not one of them acknowledged me. My hands quivered at my sides; it was like they couldn't hear me. What should I do? What **_**could**_** I do? And I hated the selfish answer: I had to go on, that was for sure, I have to save myself before I can think of saving them. I don't want to become like them. I took one step, my eyes clenched closed so I wouldn't have to see another void face, but to my utter surprise the light under my head stayed on. My eyes flew open and I looked.**

**It was the boy from my dream. The tall boy with the neat clothes was sitting almost right above me—underneath me. His legs pulled up and his chin on his knees. His eyes were full of life but he didn't seem to see the kids sitting to behind him. He only stared straight ahead, into the light while I couldn't help but glance back into the shadow infested hall of zombie-children. I took another step, wanting to examine this boy's face and the lights stayed on again. But now the older, muscular brother appeared turning and smiling lovingly at the taller straight haired boy. I took one more step and the light flickered, but it stayed on, almost as if it was fighting against itself, against the darkness that threatened it. I watched it go black every few seconds, waiting nervously for someone to appear, but on one did.**

**Suddenly, the world turned again and I screamed in surprise as gravity finally righted itself. I fell, howling in pain and holding my shoulder as it collided with the light and I hit the ground with a painful thud. Immediately I felt two pairs of hands grabbed me, turned me around and tried to help me sit but I yanked myself out of their grip, scared of the touch. I peered up to see the two brothers kneeling and looking at me with worry in their eyes. How where they here? They were from my dream! They can't be in the real world. Can they?**

**"Hi Nick," The oldest said, but I didn't answer him; I just continued to stare. **

**The straight haired boy—Joe? laughed and smiled at me. "Confused? Me too." He looked to his brother—Kevin? "such a strange dream," he wondered.**

**I frowned again, looking at them with cautious curiosity, rearranging myself to a more comfortable position, subconsciously forming a triangle with the two of them. They looked different from in my dream. Kevin, the older, looked slightly less tan and his clothes weren't torn. He was wearing simple jeans and a jacket, both non-covered in blood, like they had been after the supposed fight.**

**I shook my head, puzzled by Joe's last statement. "No, this isn't a dream," I said, more to myself then anything, but I received two nearly identical stares of comical confusion.**

**"Of course it's a dream, Nick," Joe said, almost laughing at me, "Where else would we be?"  
I noted he looked different too, though whereas Kevin looked tidier, he looked messier, way messier. His hair was wilder then it'd been and his clothes looser.**

**"In reality?" I offered, "How else would they be here?"  
My eyes re-focussed behind them, on the children, who were still sitting or standing stiffly on the same spots they'd been before, like they had no idea where to go, or if they did, no reason to.**

**This once again confused them completely.**

**"Who?" Joe questioned, looking around before frowning at the light shadows, like he was seeing them for the first time.**

**"There's no one but us here," Kevin agreed, inching closer to me and reaching out. His gesture was meant to give comfort, but I edged away from it.**

**"The children," I whispered, "Can't you see them?" What kind of a joke was this? Or were these brothers captured like I was and they had something wrong with them. There was no way they couldn't see them...right?**

**He just shook his head, his curls moving around his face in near-slow-motion, "Nope, just you," he smiled, "And god, am I glad for that, there's so much I've missed." It was hard to tear my gaze away from him, his face tender and loving as he once again reached out for me.  
I swallowed and this time, I stayed put and allowed his knuckles to grace my jaw and I shuddered, I never had much love in my life.**

**Did I? I knew I hadn't in my dreams. Did I now? And what had he missed, except for the obvious fact that he couldn't see the children. What am I talking about? My mom loved me before the world, my reality went dark. I had love in my life, so why was I suddenly questioning it?**

**Joe was still looking around, completely missing the moment, his face becoming more and more confused as his eyes swept over the children's heads again and again. He scooted back, towards me and Kevin and suddenly let a pained noise escape his lips, "What is **_**wrong **_**with them?"**

**He'd seen them. **

**"I don't know, they're just sitting there like that," I answered, "I think one girl is dead, it's just her body over there." He looked at me with fright on his face, while Kevin remained blissfully clueless.**

**"What's going on?" Kevin questioned, "What do you see, Joe? What's wrong? Nick?" He turned to me, since I'd obviously seen what Joe was scared of.**

**"The children," I merely whispered, as his fingers wrapped around my upper arms, still kneeled before me, while turned in Joe's direction, as though undecided who he should protect.**

**His face was pained now as he stared along our line of vision, "I don't understand, what childr—" then he gasped, shocked as his eyes focussed on the boy nearest to us, then the girl behind him and the boy behind her, "Oh…" It was like an invisible switch had been flicked, now that we all saw them.**

**The shadows came loose from the walls, pulsing and thrumming, more intense then before. They floated forward in thin clouds, tentacles of black mist coming towards us as we huddled together.  
The children one by one rose from their sitting positions and followed. The mist of shadows thickened around them, embracing them almost lovingly as they marched towards us.**

**"Nick!" I heard Joe call, but I couldn't look away; I couldn't not look at them.**

**"What's happening?" They crowded closer. The air felt thick around me, heavy with something undefined, pressing down on me, keeping me frozen in my kneeled position, the other two beside me.  
Closer they came, with little children's steps, until one tentacle of mist shot out and curled around Kevin's ankle. Only then did we regain reason and I quickly scrambled to my feet, grabbing at Kevin's arm, but missing as he was pulled towards the shadows.**

**Joe too, lunged for him and only nearly missed his hand, but the children were faster as their little hands grasped anything they could reach of Kevin and they dragged him towards them.**

**"Joe," Kevin panted, struggling against the hold they had on him, the shadows wrapping themselves around him like a constrictor strangling its prey, "Nick!"**

**He gurgled and managed; "Brothers…"**

**Brothers… I winced as my pendant flared up in sudden heat, Kevin's eyes met mine and I felt Joe's hand around my wrist and suddenly I believed them.  
I was their brother, they were mine.**

**"Kevin!" I yelled, hearing the echo of my cry from Joe's lips as he saw Kevin close his eyes –in surrender?— and then louder as they opened with the brightest white I'd never thought possible in here, where darkness ruled.  
Then, he was gone and the children screeched in anguish and anger as they stormed forwards, towards us.**

**I grasped my brother's wrist, so our hands were interlocked and pulled him with me, "Run! C'mon, Joe, run!"**

**He ran, falling over his own feet and constantly looking back with unbelieving eyes. He was clumsy; I could tell and I did my best to help him. But eventually, he stumbled and fell, trying to get back up desperately, but it was too late. I'd flown past him, unable to stop, before I turned on my heels to run back to get him, panting and desperate, but I was too late, the shadows had been faster then I and they were dragging him towards the thick wall of black mist. He clawed at the floor, trying to stop them and I felt wetness on my cheek as I watched him.**

**"I love you," he managed, before the first children got to him, their nails dragging along his skin and tearing open his clothes as they surrounded him. He looked at me one more time, before he closed his eyes… and disappeared.**

**I gaped as screams of rage and loss once more filled the air and I fell down on my knees, my hands in front of me, trying to support my sobbing torso. What was happening? What had happened to them, did the shadows kill them? Were they…**

_**You killed them!**_

**My hands reached for my ears as I scrambled away from the accusing voices, I hadn't, had I?**

**"I didn't kill him!"**

**I curled in on myself, flinching away from the tiny hands. "Join us." The kinds behind me started chanting and I felt them pulling at my shirt, trying to get me into the darkness. But I didn't want the darkness. I wanted the light. Fear coursed through my veins as I stumbled back but I managed to hold my ground. No! Don't make me! I don't want to go back there!**

_**You made them leave you!**_

**"Don't leave me," I screamed, hoping they'd hear me, hoping they would return.  
The mist kept pulling at me, the tentacles going for my throat. One of my hands flew up and scratched at their hold while the other was quickly imprisoned by the hands of the kids.**

**"I'm your brother," I tried one more time, "I love you!" I called after them, my heart creaming the last part louder than any words could have. But it didn't stop.**

**"Come on, Nick, join us!" They kept asking me, almost innocent, surrounding me, and suffocating me in the darkness. **

**I screamed out for Joe and Kevin when the darkness slowly breached me. I didn't want to end up like the first girl saw. I don't want to die. In a flash, I saw the kids from before, the dead girl's green eyes even more hollow then before. Everything somehow moved around her and I was more frightened of her then anything. **

**She moved in front of me, one of her hands touching the mist fearlessly while the other reached out towards me. I felt the energy exude from her finger tips and I tried to shy away but I couldn't move without getting closer to the other two kids.**

**Antonio laughed lightly to my left, the black girl, Kiara, smiled as she leaned closer to me from the front and the dead girl reached out farther, her fingers a hairs breadth from my skin. I screamed just as her fingers touched my arm and just as my pendant burned against my skin.  
A light, ****brighter then before breached the darkness and I heard childish screams ring in my ear as my world faded to black…**

**There was only one thing I knew for sure.  
It was getting stronger.  
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"I can not believe you left without me," Stella lectured for the hundredth time as they walked cautiously through the scabby neighbourhood. Joe had deep respect for her effort to ignore everything dirty and wrong she was seeing (like the twin girls rummaging through a trashcan) as well as her ability to whisper her reprimand, don't get him wrong, but there was no way she was getting an apology. He promptly refused to feel guilty of protecting her.

"I'm not going to apologise, Stella," he calmly explained, "It was too dangerous." She opened her mouth to interrupt him, but he silenced her with a hand. She stayed silent, though mostly out of shock.

"I know you helped us and are part of the team, but I don't want you getting hurt on my conscience, okay? It's my quest for _my_ brothers and I love having you with me, but I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you. There was a massive gang-fight, where I saw my brother fighting like a trained assassin, my other brother defending himself like he'd been attacked all his life. People nearly got _killed_, Stella," Joe tried to explain, holding what was most likely his longest non-planned speech to her, "I don't even _want _to imagine you in that picture, okay?"

She stared at him for a long, tense moment, before she pulled him into a hug, standing on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. "You know I love you, right?" She checked, before pulling away and staring at him intensely.

"Yeah?"

"Good," she breathed and Joe found himself with an arm full of Stella again, "Because yeah, I understand; its okay. But it was horrible to wake up and finding out all of you were missing, so don't ever do that again. I can only imagine what could've happened to you and I don't want _that_, either."

He smiled, lifting her off the ground for a second, before putting her back down and releasing her.

"I know," said Joe and offered her his arm, like the gentleman he was, "Want to meet my brother now, yes?"

"Yeah."

They reached the flat in a matter of minutes, Stella very bravely only scrunching her nose slightly in distaste before Joe led her up the stairs, but not before yawning massively.

She giggled, "Rough night?"

He chuckled with her, throwing an arm around her shoulders when they reached the twelfth floor, "You bet. It's not exactly everyday I sleep against a scabbed old wall," he happily complained, "And I had the strangest dream. Disturbing really, probably the worst nightmare I've ever had. Not quite the ideal circumstances for a restful night."

She nodded, understanding as they stepped over the remains of the door, squinting at it slightly, before dismissing it and instead choosing to examine the occupants of the room. Kevin had obviously returned before they did and he, the professor and Nick's little sister were now eating from plates full of food set on the small table. The girl happily munching on an apple, like she'd never had one before. A woman Joe didn't know, small, skinny and dirty blonde, walked towards them with some more plates, a happy smile on her face.

Joe's eyes, however, searched for Nick and found him leaning against the kitchen counter, staring at Nokia, but seemingly not quite present, as his eyes were slightly gazed. He looked like he'd only just stumbled out of bed, or in his case, fell off the couch. His eyes had a reddish tint to them, almost like he'd cried, but Joe couldn't quite imagine _that _happening. His hair was tangled and wild, but his composure was tense. A pose Joe recognised to be ready for fight and he wondered; was his youngest brother always like this?

He followed Nick's gaze towards his sister, now seated in the woman's lap and smiled as Nokia gave the British lad a toothy, apple-juiced smile. Her eyes were wide, happy and green, intensely so.

Somehow, this vaguely reminded Joe of something and an uncomfortable shudder travelled up his spine.

Strange. Honestly, there couldn't be anything frightening about a nine year old girl, could there?

No. Of course not.

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Reviews make us write faster, so if you want that explanation-scene… *hint* *hint*


	9. Shading Decisions

**Chibiyu: **Hey all! Sorry for the long wait! We are kinda bad at finding time...  
_  
Silver; _It comes with living on different continents, sort of. So anyway, I'm excited about this chapter. For reasons soon to be obvious…

Nick: Why does your pleasure always have to be involved with my pain and angst?

_Silver: *ignores* So, finally after lots of postponing *points down excitedly* the explanation-scene! You know you wanna read on now! _

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**August 2nd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey; Administration district.**

_He wondered what it was about her eyes that held his attention. Every time he looked into them after a nightmare, Nick wanted to shudder, to avert his eyes and the cause of this action was lost to him. He knew the key points of the dreams that plagued his nights but the affect her eyes always had on his psyche were left him lost. He saw those green orbs daily and he loved their unique nature but in the mornings, they turned into something he would rather avoid. _

"It's impolite to stare Nick," _The addressed teen lifted his gaze from his kid sister and looked into the tired but happy face of the woman with the plates and smirked; staring was the best weapon in his inventory, but in here it was like a federal offense. _"So wipe that smirk off your face mister and join us, would ya? A house full of strangers, all who are welcome of course, and all you do is stand there." _Well, yeah. Duh._ "Oh my, more!"

_Nick rolled his eyes and looked over his shoulder, towards where Joe and a blonde girl –who was currently staring at the halfway destroyed apartment with both surprise and curiosity— were standing in the hole of the door. He had felt them looking, of course, but he had seen no need to look before. His mom sighed and shook her head at his silent nature before putting the plates down on the table and wiping her hands on a freshly cleaned but hole-filled dish towel. She held out her hand to Joe and the blonde before introducing herself; _"Hello, I'm Tynisha; Nokia's and Nick's mom."

_The Gang-Leader looked over to the brothers in time to see them exchange worried looks, the meaning lost to his woefully ignorant eye. _

_Nick's fingers tightened on the edge of the hard plastic counter as Nokia immediately bolted over to the blonde girl. He was ready to lunge forward and sweep his sister to safety when needed and he watched them interact carefully over his shoulder, well aware of the warning glare covering his eyes. Joe looked up and met the teen's gaze for a moment before pulling Stella over. Nokia, seeing her brothers eyes, ran over to him, clinging onto his leg as she sensed Nick's unease. _

"Nick, Nokia, Tynisha, this is Stella," _Joe cautiously greeted and as Nick carefully studied the brown eyed girl in the fancy clothing, a few pieces in his head fell easily into place. _

"You're his girlfriend," _it wasn't a question but it caused both of them to get very red in the face and step away from each other, as though flustered by Nick's bluntness. _"Ah," _he smiled at their dilemma both being infatuated but not wanting to initiate. _

"Nick!" _He turned to the woman, letting his glare slide away as she put her hands on her hips and gave him a 'don't embarrass our guests' look. Her repercussion was short lived as she proceeded to lead Joe and Stella towards the couch._

"Now, would somebody please be so kind, as I see Nick is going to be his usual party-pooper self and not tell me a thing_," they playfully glared at each other,_ "To tell me what you are all doing here?"  
_Nick huffed, finding this question remotely entertaining, his curiosity and protective instinct having screamed the same message at him for hours now. On the outside, however, he was merely staring at the fresh bowl of red apples, wanting to take one of the shiny morsels but reframing; this meaning more for Nokia and his mom. God knew they needed to eat more. _

"As you know, I am Kevin and this are Joe and Stella," _Kevin introduced, waving to all the named with a tanned hand. Nick would bet the entire collection of apples that the girl would love to give him a manicure. _

_Joe took over for his brother, pointing at the elderly man; "_And the old dude over here,"_ Nick looked at the Professor, his handkerchief freezing in midair as he heard how Joe introduced him, _"Is Professor Savage." _He nodded shyly at Tynisha and quickly looked away again, only to meet the chocolate brown glare being sent his way. His dual covered eyes dulled when he saw the accusing thoughts racing in the orbs; he was the guy with all the answers, he couldn't withhold them from everyone forever. _

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you all," _the young mother smiled, unaware of the repeated rudeness. _

_Noki, unanswered in her pursuit of affection, let go of her brother's leg and ran over to her mom, who had moved back to the kitchen, before climbing onto a chair and into her arms, quite gracefully for a girl her age. The elder brother, Kevin, was watching the way Nick smiled when she snuggled her face into her Mom's neck and sighed happily. Kevin simply had to smile at the gentleness framing the hardened teen's eyes as he, too, knew the amount of love one person can hold for their siblings, even if they are not related by blood. _

_However when Nick looked back down to the counter, the love was completely gone from his eyes and the haunting stare was back. _

_Tynisha continued, unaware of the silent musings, _"I am sorry you all had to come when the house is in distress." _Everyone heard how she avoided saying the real cause of the event, and the ways her eyes filled with sorrow told everyone that she did indeed know the reality of it._

"Do you know what happened?" _The Professor suddenly chimed in and Stella watched Nick meet his mom's gaze, some unknown understanding flying between them. _

"I do, but there's sort of a 'don't ask and don't tell' policy going on under this roof." _She sighed before reaching over and running her fingers through her son's hair. Stella smiled as Nick closed his eyes at the contact and took a deep breath, as if relieved by the touch. _

_And to Nick, it was a relief; to him, the simple gesture meant more than anything, especially after last night. He revelled in the pride and love the simple gesture brought to his heart. Any other parent would hate, disown, and punish their kid for such acts of violence but his mom knew that Nick really didn't have a choice. If they wanted to remain safe, then Nick had to remain on top.  
_"Rough night?" _The whisper was clearly for Nick but everyone heard it and looked away, trying to find something other than the broken items to hold their gazes. Nick nodded and finally released the counter's edge, flexing his fingers as he tried to get out their stiffness from being in that position of strength for so long. Tynisha sighed and gently touched her son's hand. She traced the discolorations before shaking her head and letting his hand fall again. Anyone in this part of the city knew that it was a miracle to get out of a fight with such little damage done to your body. _

"Now why are you all here?" _Tynisha asked, good natured as always and Nick opened his eyes, pondering on the exact same thing. No one told him why they visited. And if they hadn't come, last night could have ended very differently. But single fight wouldn't win his trust; he needed answers. _

_No one seemed to want to butt into the silence and answer the undemanding question. In return for letting the silence wax, everyone with answers was submitted to the coldness of Nick's gaze. When his gaze hit the Professor, said man shuddered and lifted his head so everyone could see his face. _

"I brought them here." _He whispered and Nick walked over to his mom, taking Nokia from her, his gaze never leaving the Professor's face. Even Nokia, who was too young to understand, had a gaze filled with such a serious studying that she rivalled her brother. _"You all are probably wondering why I gathered you, after so many years of separation…"

"No shit Sherlock." _Everyone jumped and looked to the source of the quiet voice but no one was surprised when it came from Nick. Stella softly nudged Joe, silently asking if he was sure that this rude, blunt, and serious guy was really his brother. Joe only nodded, not wanting to draw in a new conversation as this current one was so important. _

"Nick, language." _Nick gritted his teeth at his mom's stern voice but said no more. The Professor took a moment before clearing his throat and stood up from the ratty couch, walking over to Kevin. _

"May I?" _Kevin nodded and allowed the Prof to lift the pendant from his neck. He did the same to Joe who gave it up just as quickly but Nick tensed when the Professor approached him. The teen's free hand wrapped carefully around the pendant, wary to be without it. It was his good luck charm, after all. He never took it off; he never lost a fight; he never let his family down. _

"I will give it back, I swear to you," _the professor promised. Nick looked to Nokia at the Prof's words and they both slowly nodded to each other as they saw the truth staring back at them. Nokia carefully lifted the chain over her brother's head and dropped it gently into the Prof's awaiting hand. Everyone leaned over as he put the three down and arranged them so they fit together in a silver swirled shape. _"Anyone know that this is?"

"An Ohm…" _Joe breathed out, earning an impressed and quite a few confused gazes. _"I studied dreams when I was younger…"

"Because _everyone _does that…" _Nick whispered and Nokia smiled as she knew that her brother was referring to the free time Joe had probably had on his hands and to his probable vast amount of money. After all, Nick, Tynisha and Noki were the exact opposite of Joe; poor, though not uneducated. They knew what it took to survive and they did well when they did go to school. To Nick, Joe's head was filled with useless knowledge because surviving was all to him. Joe didn't know how to survive, how to fight, so therefore, he knew nothing. Joe shot Nick a look, but quickly lowering his gaze, hating the fact that he had so much and yet, knew nothing about Nick's world. _Correct Joseph," _the professor praised, ignoring as Joe huffed in an annoyed manner and crossed his arms at the repetitive use of his full name. _

"Now, an Ohm is Sanskrit letters, or a symbol like this, for the 'sacred' Hindu sound referred to as 'the mother of all mantras'." _He paused to watch the effect on his audience.  
_Tynisha and Kevin were both politely nodding and looking interested. Joe and Stella sported identical looks of boredom, knowing this. Nokia, however, was staring at the combined pendants, her jaw set as if she was trying hard to remember something. Nick's dark eyes were narrowed down to his own part of the pendant, the yearning for knowledge evident in his eyes.

"These aren't just simple pendants of an old symbol," _he continued_, "for they were made by my father and your biological grandfather."

_Joe, Kevin and Nick stared at each other in shock, slapped in the face with this touchable part of their history, Nokia just curiously stared at the pretty silver, for she had never known a grandfather. Tynisha's eyes darted unnoticed between Joe, Kevin and her Nick, her dark eyes watering with unshed tears as she realized what this meant. As she realized what Nick knew and who he was. _

"My father was a scientist, like myself, but the differences between us couldn't have been greater," _the professor began again, _"His fascination lay with philosophy, the human mind and psyche. They lay with the representation of this token, the Ohm. He studied dreams together with Paul Lucas, your grandfather."

_The professor started pacing the room, as Nick quietly sat down in a chair, pulling Nokia safely into his lap, watching the man cross the small space of the apartment's living-room with hawk-eyes. His brothers sat down on the couch, Stella besides Joe. She listened intensely to what the old man had to say. Tynisha was the only one left standing at the kitchen counter, playing with the hem of the apron she still wore. _

"They discovered a lot of things involving the human mind and dreams. They dug into the very core of the human brain, far beyond what any scientist had ever done. New resources, not yet in combination with human rights and laws, allowed them to experiment with building danger. They were nearly obsessed with their work and eventually reached their biggest break-through; they discovered a new world; the world of dreams."

_Tynisha snorted softly, from her place at the counter,_" A dream world? Don't you think you're a bit delusion—"_ her eyes locked with Nick's, who silently pleaded for her to let the man finish.  
She closed her mouth, surprised. _

"I don't know how they found it, or how they managed to break the seal, but they called their newfound world 'Sumnus Vera' which means as much as 'dream-reality' or simply, Oneiro."

_The professor stopped pacing, standing simply in the middle of the room, gazing out of the dirty window. _

"I had been cautious of their work from the beginning, fearing what indeed would happen; the dream world drove them crazy, like everybody who gets too caught up in his own wishes, desires. They lost touch with themselves, but they were so convinced of their own right doing that they simply chose to forget their vow; their promise to only help people, and they started to use the same innocent people for experiments on Oneiro."

_Stella frowned, her fingers curling around Joe's, who squeezed her hand reassuringly, swallowing himself. _

"They didn't stop there though; they found that weaker minds had better contact with the dream world, so they started fooling around with the minds of young children," _he took a deep breath, looking utterly sad for a moment or two before continuing, _"I'm afraid quite a few horrible things have happened in their labs, mostly taking place within the unprotected minds of their testing-objects, but they eventually reached their goal."

_Nick's face scrunched up in disgust, for he couldn't believe his grandfather would do such a thing. He hugged Nokia closer to his chest, feeling the warmth of her skin, it reassuring him she was indeed, fine. _

"They bended and prodded so much at the world of dreams, something so complex and strange that it took them seven years, they eventually broke through the seal that separated the two worlds, managing to lock the power of the Sumnus-Vera up into this pendant, made of the purest silver, the metal of pure mystery."

_All gazes redirected to the Ohm token on the table, tracing the lines and wondering, though their minds were still unbelieving. _"There are four symbols hidden in these three parts," _he traced the top swirl, turning it so it suddenly resembled a half lidded eye. Then, his finger moved to the top loop and Nokia, Stella and Nick all saw the wing it could represent. They watched his fingers stop at a portion of the middle before continuing to finish the four swirled shape. _"Each part is said to symbolize the four stages of consciousness; awake, sleeping, dreaming, and trance." _The Prof's eyes darted to all of the pendant holders before lowering his gaze to the silver metal again but he didn't even have the chance to open his mouth again. _

"So Sherlock, how does this relate to us?" _Nick rudely interrupted, not caring about his harsh and impatient tone. He ignored his mother's glare; he needed real answers, not this spiritual crap. The stupid scientists had made a mistake and he wanted to know what. He didn't care what his pendant meant; he only wanted to know why it burned and cooled rapidly when he was lost in those nightmares. He wanted, no, he _needed _to know how this affected him so he could stop it. His family couldn't hold the weight of another burden because of him. _

"I am getting to that so please, a little patience Nicholas," _Nick sighed at the Prof's words but gestured for him to continue. The professor nodded. _"The lower curve, Joseph's pendant, symbolizes the state of being awake and conscious. The top swirl, Kevin's, is deep sleep, when the sleeper, in theory, is said to desire nothing and not dream at all," _he pointed at the top and bottom of the sign, before glancing briefly at Nick,_ "and Nicholas's, yours is the middle swirl; trance. It is said that while in this trance, the dreamer has an enthralling view of the worlds behind closed lids."

_Oneiro. _

_The professor then pointed to the tail piece on each pedant that allowed the three pieces to connect flawlessly.  
_"Normally there would be a floating dot in the upper curl, but these tails were made as a substitute. They connect all three parts and are supposed to represent the dream-state of the chain, which means that everyone can dream, no matter what state of consciousness they may be in."

"So…?" _Kevin tried to lead the explanation on as the man paused and looked to Nokia, who had her head buried in Nick's shoulder, almost disappointed as she hid her vibrant eyes. Nick was looking at her and it was obvious that she was talking to him. _

"Good question." _Nick whispered to her before turning back to the Professor. _"Why do we care?"

_The professor sighed, _"Because this pendant and its explanation is the very reason for everything that's happened to you." _This effectively got everyone's attention. The brother's heads snapped in his direction, from where they were seated. _"I'm sad to say that these pendants and my father's obsession with Oneiro are the reasons your family was destroyed."

_Kevin gritted his teeth, remembering the pain of their separation clearly. His mother's loving face as she played with baby Nick. His father's tired smile when he returned home from God knows what. Maybe that grandfather the professor spoke of. That pain had haunted him in his dreams for as long as he could remember. _

"The reason you got split up."

_Joe swallowed, gazing at his brothers, whom he'd missed so dearly in his life. He would have traded his healthy life, his good world and all the money he'd spend to have things the way they were supposed to be. The three of them as brothers, having grown up together and free of the scars that adorned their inner selves. _"The reason all of you are haunted by your dreams."

_Nick closed his eyes, not wanting to believe a word the old man was saying, but he knew it was the truth. Somehow he had always known this. His pendant was the only link he had to his original life. It always had been and he had always had those haunting dreams. _"Why don't we get rid of the pendants, then?" _he questioned, as much as it would hurt him to part with the necklace. _"Because they key's aren't the reason," –"but you just said…" – "it's what happened when they were made." _The dual coloured eyes gleamed, though no one was sure with what; pain, anger, or sadness? _"When they broke the seal, they disrupted the balance between the dream-world and our own reality, locking the incredible force into the pendants, but at the same time releasing the power of Oneiro upon our world."

The professor stared at the three of them, completely missing Stella walking towards Tynisha, feeling this was a moment for the renewed family. She was followed by a curious Nokia, her brother's eyes trailing after her absentmindedly, before staring back at the professor.

_There was a strange tension in the room, one of disbelieve, but also slight fear. This whole story of a torn-up family had just gotten a whole lot more complex. _

_A dream world? Another reality, was that even possible? _

_Stella had always doubted the man was completely sane, while Tynisha was one-hundred percent sure he was completely out of his mind. But the brother's couldn't deny what they had experienced all their lives. _"Before you ask what this has to do with you, I should explain that the dream world and the balance between the spiritual and the corporal realities is a very fragile and extremely dangerous," _said Professor Savage. _

"I should know; I lost my only daughter to the dreams. She was barely nine years old, with an open, unprotected young mind. The dreams got to her and it killed her."

_All occupants of the room stared at Nokia, who curiously gazed back, before the professor spoke again; _"I brought you back together for more then just the happy reunion; I found you because I believe only the pendants and their masters can close the seal and restore the balance between the two worlds and prevent Oneiro's force from doing more damage, if only for the memory of May, my daughter."

_Their faces blank, one was able to cut the tension, everybody silently stared in front of him. _"Now you know,_" the reddish-brown haired man whispered, _"but now I must ask; are you willing to join me on my quest?"

_Three pairs of brown eyes looked up at the man, dilemmas in their gaze. Joe and Kevin exchanged glances and they tried to get Nick in on the moment, but they both found that his brother's eyes were locked on the pendants. _

"So you want us to fix your problems?" _Nick suddenly hissed, anger flaring into his cold orbs. _"You want us to try and fix a 'very fragile and _extremely _dangerous' problem because you are too weak to do it yourself?" _Nick stood and shook his head, his eyes going to the clock on the wall before he picked up his leather jacket and pocketed the beaten up fingerless gloves. He walked over to the counter and snatched up the silver, putting it around his neck with a practiced precision. _"I'm not doing this. I have enough shit on my plate as it is. I don't need your burden falling onto my shoulders." _He looked to his mother and his little sister, his eyes telling them that he wasn't leaving. _

"Nicholas..."

"It's Nick!" _The teen rounded back on the Professor. _"Actually, to you, it's DarkSinger." _And he turned on his heel and walked through the hole where the door was. _

"Wait!" _Joe and Kevin both yelled and Nick stopped, his back tense but he shook his head and continued walking down the stairs.  
_  
"He has to come with us. If he doesn't…I'd hate to see the consequences."

()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()

**Fourth of January, 2009; Hong-Kong; China**

Her fingers ghosted over the pages of the thick book in her hands, munching nervously on the pad of her thumb as her eyes moved over the paper like lightning, drinking in the words before her. Tangled and bushy hair was fanned out over the propped up pillows behind her, one foot lazily kicked over the edge of the bed as the heroine of her story raced towards what seemed to be a certain death.

Pushing her glasses up with one finger, her eyes raced towards the ending, excitement written on her face. She didn't even hear her mother call the first time.

"Rachel?"

She just kept reading, lost in the beauty of the world of words in her hands, the images it described forming in her head, playing out like the prettiest movie.

"Rachel, honey?"

She sighed when the heroine promised one last kiss to the lover she was betraying, heading for those who had ruined her life, her friendships, her loves so many times before, finally getting her revenge.  
She loved stories like this, stories of standing up for yourself; stories of climbing up and making something of yourself. Because that's what she wanted, dreamed of. She wanted to be somebody, someday.

"Rachel!"

Her head shot up, confused as she adjusted to the normality of her room, "Yeah!"

"Will you be going to bed soon?" her mother yelled kindly, over the sound of the previously unheard TV.

"Sure mom!" She yelled back, secretly already grabbing for the flashlight beneath her pillow, before reaching for the bed light and ducking beneath the sheets, where she once more got lost within the pages of her book.

The young, Chinese girl eventually fell asleep, tangled with the sheets, the pillow on her chest and a smile on her face as she dreamed of worlds far beyond hers, where anything was possible.  
The worlds she loved and yearned for. The stories she made up or got lost in.

The dreams she would never wake from again.  
()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()

**August 2nd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey; Administration hide-out. **

"DarkSinger! Hear' ya got a bust'n yesterday!" Xavier howled in laughter when he playfully-hard punched at Nick, "They get you good?"

Nick grimaced, dodging before sending a glare at the bleach-blonde stud; "Of course not, but that's not thanks to you," he spat crossing the space between him and the taller, skinny boy with only two, wide strides, his fingers wrapping around Xavier's throat, shoving him up against the concrete wall.

The blue eyes widened in shock, but he didn't even flinch as he listened to Nick's words, "I am very curious as to how they got into Administration territory," the gang-leader hissed in his ear, painfully aware of the audience they had. He knew he'd win a fight against Xavier, but this needed to be solved with the whole gang watching.

Something had went wrong, his hierarchy was broken and they'd gotten to the very core of the Administration, endangering those he did all of this for. He wanted to see some blood. Wanted them to see it too, wanted them to feel how serious this business was again.

Xavier's nostrils flared, staring ruthlessly down into Nick's eyes, both knowing Xavier was the one with nothing to lose here.

"They slipped past us," Came the answer.

Nick pulled the other teen back by his collar and slammed him back into the crate, "I _won't_ allow mistakes!" he growled, "I gave you a knife but you loaded the gun and then _ceased_ to fire it!"  
Their faces were only inches apart, there was a silent war going on between them, the surrounding members shifting uncomfortably, feeling the power-struggle and anger radiate off the two young men.  
Knifes and pins were pulled out, out of habit or as a precaution, should it come to a fight.

Xavier brought his face even closer to Nick's, towards the latter's ears; "I won' crawl for ya, DarkSinger."

"Then run for me, _Xavier,_" Nick hissed again, his eyes narrowing at his opponent, "Bring me those damned punks that dared to cross me and maybe, just _maybe_, I'll spare you from the fate I've planned for them." His smirk was only vaguely pleased when Xavier lowered his eyes, admitting submission. He released him, the blade-fighter's knees buckling beneath him so he fell to his knees in front of Nick.

He turned around, brown eyes flashing as he raised his voice, "Because nobody messes with me, nobody messes with the Administration!" He yelled, "I want each and every one of them crawling at my feet, begging for mercy." They wanted the violence, it was the only thing they knew, "_and I want them now!"_

He watched as the essence of his gang scurried off, lusty for the fight, hungry for the blood, wanting to please him or simply trying to protect their own from this happening again, they disappeared in all directions, pulling out their weapons completely now.

Nick knew his order would spread like wildfire and that the elite troop would tell all the others of what had happened between him and Xavier. He hated the way he had to hurt other's to stay on top of the food chain; in order to prevent _exactly_ what had happened from happening.

Show no weakness.

Xavier had made his way to his feet again, the only one left besides him, rubbing the forming bruises on his throat.

"Might've given me a kink for breath-play now," he breathed in Nick's direction, "Haven't los' the grip yet, I see?" He, of course, wasn't shaken in the slightest.

Nick merely shrugged at him, worrying with the ends of his gloves, glancing towards their crate.

The blonde rolled his eyes at him, "Go get'cha girlfriend, man. I'm off to get those heads you wan'…"

Nick nodded at him, staying to watch as he pushed himself from the wall with muscled arms and flew through the room, disappearing into a side-way exit towards the sewers –Xavier's favourite— in a matter of seconds.

He stared after him, the whole demeanour of demanding gang-leader lost in his features, his shoulders sagging as he turned around to slowly walk towards their crate.

She'd be there, he knew she would be.

()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()

"Could've told you the old guy was crazy from the beginning," she said, tracing patterns on his arm, her ankles crossed in the air behind her, "And the other dude's hair looked like he brought a hair-straightener with him. Nobody has flat hair like that, especially if he really is _your_ brother."

Macy playfully tugged on one of Nick's curls and he closed his eyes when she started rubbing the tips of her fingers over his forehead, smoothing the lines there, making him relax. He smiled softly at her, stopping her hand and lacing their fingers together.

They were lying on top of their crate, in the darkest corner of the layer. This was _their_ place since the very beginning; far before they'd climbed the ladder of success within the Administration: the most powerful gang in the area.  
This is where they hid from the bigger kids when they were eleven, both scrawny and insecure. Where they shared both their first kisses when they were thirteen, just so they wouldn't have to give it to someone they didn't love. This is where Macy taught Nick how to play the guitar she'd 'borrow' from her older brother. This was where he held her when that same brother got killed in an armed robbery and where she held him when things became too much.

Nick chewed absentmindedly on the lid of the can they shared, lost in thoughts about what had happened hours previous.  
Worrying about the happenings; not what had happened, for they survived, the fact forgotten to his busy mind. Not what was happening right now, since he did sort of trust the other boys, after they protected Nokia with basically their own lives.

He was worried about what _would_ happen.

He was so thankful for having Macy, who had listened to his story all the way through without interrupting, her presence alone lifting loads of pressure from his shoulders.

"Are you going with them?" She suddenly questioned, lifting her head to stare back at him.  
He opened his eyes to look at her, taking in her pale complexion and the brown eyes that were so familiar to him.

He couldn't leave her. Neither could he leave his mother, and most importantly, he couldn't leave Nokia. It wasn't an option. He couldn't even bare the thought of tears in her large, green eyes. He had to protect her, make sure she got out of here someday, got a better life. He dedicated his life to her, like his mom had done for him.

He had his responsibilities to them because he loved them. He had the responsibility towards the Administration because he was the only thing that was keeping them sane.

"I…"

But there were also the faces of the two boys claiming to be his brothers. Two parts of a world he'd long for that were left behind him, suddenly knocking on his door –literally— and telling him there was even _more_ danger he should be fixing.

Macy had told him immediately how bad of an idea that was, but at the same time, had understood his yearning towards them. He'd never had older brothers, or any kind of older role-model; someone to help _him_ for a change.

And suddenly, those two barged into his life and _save _it, nonetheless, before they asked Nick to team up with them to face things _together. _

The concepts were so foreign and yet, so compelling.

Too compelling.

Macy's hand slid down, over the troubled teen's neck, tracing the faint scars and towards his chest, resting on the left, above his heart.

"You should do what it says," she whispered, "And know that you couldn't ever leave me behind, even if you wanted to." Nick blinked at her. "I'll come with you."

He groaned in frustration, there went yet another reason to do the reasonable. Right out the window.

"Thanks, Mace," the remark was meant both sarcastic and grateful.

But his sarcasm was only met with a winning smirk and a stolen peck on the lips. Macy knew that once she managed to find all of the holes Nick was trying to worm through, she would win. But beating Nick was not an easy task; he could slip through any hole, no matter how small or impossible to get to. But their conversation was over and the night once again turned to silent contemplation. Macy wondering what was in store for them and if Nick could ever manage to leave Nokia and Tynisha. She didn't have a family here, no one but Nick, so it was a no brainer that she would go wherever he went. After all, who would protect him and who would be the one to hold him when everything became too much?

And Nick was facing another problem entirely.

_Nokia. Kevin and Joe. _

_Sister. __Brothers. _

_One danger or another. _

_Leave one, win others. _

Now Nick was torn, torn between them and he cursed himself for it. The choice shouldn't be this hard; it had never been this hard. He'd always chosen what was best for her, what was best for his family. She was Nick's family; that much he was sure of. And he can't lose her, he simply can't. Leaving her would kill her. And him with it. She was too young to ever understand. Even Nick was too young to understand. Too naive. Too ignorant. Too... lost. He wanted to stay with her and keep the sanity in this town but at the same time, he needed the security an older role model; the kind an older brother brought.

Nokia. Kevin and Joe.

Home or brothers.

Stay or go?

How could he ever know?

()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()~~~~~~()

_The girl in between was totes **Destined Jonas**, proving that massive (but most importantly loving and building) reviews do get rewarded.  
*hint* *hint*_


	10. Limbo

**Chibiyu**: _Hey all! We are FINALLY back! Woot!_  
**Nick**: _Not woot._  
Silver: _Not woot indeed! Both of our lives have been rather busy and we actually had quite some problems with some scenes, the length and the general tension of the whole thing. *shoves away hopeful-Joe with wolf-mask-tension-cutter*  
_**Chibiyu: **_Way to ruin the fun._

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()_

**August 2nd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, apartment 4.12**

Softly, his fingers traced the skin of the face of his beloved little girl, looking down on the dirty blonde crown resting on his chest he softly brushed a stray strand from her unmoving face. Moonlight shone through the curtain-less windows, casting shadows over them both.

Their features illuminated by the silver lighting, the elder brother and his sister were seated silently in the windowsill of the dark living room; one asleep and lost in dreams while and one wide awake and thoughtful.

At that very moment, he was almost glad that he wasn't her biological brother, because apparently, he was cursed with some kind of dream-disease. Joy. And in a way, he was glad to finally know what was going on with him and those cursed dreams, but in another, he hated the 'responsibility' the professor had claimed came with it. Who did he think he was, forcing his thoughts and hopes and expectations on him like that? Who gave him the right? Who said Nick was supposed to do anything, even if the man had found his biological family.

He already had a responsibility. He already had a family.

Nick looked down at Nokia with a look softer then any outsider would ever see on his face. She was everything to him. Nokia was everything he'd always fought for, like his mother had fought for him, all those years ago.

He'd just been a child with a name, nothing more. A baby with a name on a tag. No parents, no papers, no nothing. For the law, to this country and its government, he didn't exist. He was an empty face with a name. But she found him on the side of that road, where he had assumed his parents died and cared for him. She'd protected him and now, it was his job to protect the little girl in his arms. He grew up to watch her, to shield her, to kill on demand to do so, if needed. He would do anything to make sure her future was a happy one. Better then his, better then her mom's.

But would she pay for the grim secret in his blood? Would she have to pay for what others did to him in the past?

Because suddenly, that nonexistent past had come knocking on the door in the form of two young men who had claimed to be his brothers. And they were; Nick didn't doubt that fact anymore. Even if their features hadn't spoken for themselves, Nick's gut would have. He had always trusted his instincts and he did this time 'round. Those men were his brothers.

This conclusion didn't make his decision any bit easier.

They asked him to leave behind his foster-mother and his little sister. They asked him to come with them in order to save the world from an apparent dream-world that had been torturing all three of them because of the experiments some senile ancient had performed years ago.

It was too ridiculous.

But there was a longing in him nonetheless; a longing to follow them; to never part with them again. A deep desire to make up for all those years spent apart and to get to know them again.

But his rational dark side always kept up with him: where had they been all those years while he had risked his life day and day again? Where had they been when he needed comfort? Why should he care for a world that never wanted him?

He had to make a choice he couldn't quite comprehend. He was torn between his honour and an unknown future. He was torn between his brothers and his little sister. Torn between his true and his given family.

He prayed for both but was denied.

There was no way out; he had to choose.

The catch was: he couldn't.

He could not choose between them, even though the choice would've been an easy one, had you asked him a few weeks before. He would have picked her, his given family, without a second thought. But having the brothers you always longed for saving your life somehow changed that. He couldn't just rip them away from him, again and he couldn't leave her behind.

He was caught in an unending loop.

()()()()()(Kevin PoV)()()()()()

Kevin leaned against the post of the door-less room, which he, Joe and the professor had been assigned to sleep in, Nick and Nokia taking the other room.

But neither of the siblings were actually in the room; they were sitting in the tattered living room. In the windowsill, to be precise.

He called them siblings, because of the simple fact that they were. To him, at least, they were. They loved each other, took care of each other and considered each other siblings, so they simply were.  
Kevin knew the feeling; he had the same when it came to his little brothers back in Italy. They were his siblings as well as Nick and Joe.

Seeing Nick with Nokia made him wonder; had he made the right decision of leaving them to find his biological brothers? Shouldn't he have stayed with them? Had his father meant what he said?

_Yes,_ he answered himself. His father had been honest, his brothers were in good hands; they had their father and each other, even though he missed them and they would be missing him terribly, he was sure. Things weren't like with Nick, whose sister only had a single mother, apart from him. They didn't live in a silent village. They lived in a very dangerous city in a very lethal part of town.

Their decisions weren't anything alike.

But he had deep respect for his little brother. For the strong man the baby from his memory had become in those years. It was strange to Kevin to see the young men his little brothers had become, for they'd always been just that in his head; his little brothers.

In his imagination and in those dreams, they'd always stayed his little, unaware, unprotected kid-brothers. The toddler and the baby he had known. But boy had they grown. Both had become strong and intelligent young men and Kevin almost felt a little betrayed when he realised they were both perfectly able of taking care of themselves.

He was their elder brother, what else was he for?

He hadn't even been there to see it happen and it made him feel sad.

But now, staring silently at his unaware brother from the shadows of the bedroom, Nick looking almost fragile in the light of the moon, he realised that they would always need each other. No matter how tough Nick seemed and acted, no matter how secluded and proud Joe's personality had become. No matter how old or strong they were, he would always be there for them. To protect them, to help them or to just be one third of their brotherhood.

Because they were siblings, it was what they did and it was what Nick was doing. And as his older brother, he had to trust Nick to make the right decision.

Softly he retreated back in the shadows of their room, padding towards the make-shift bed/mattress on the floor and lay back down. Because he would support Nick in his decision, he would be on his side. Nick wouldn't lose them, no matter what he decided.

Kevin would make sure of that.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**Second of February, 2010 - Australia **

There she was, in her own little world. Normally she would be exhausted after chasing little kids around all day, but right now, this Aussie girl was full of excitement. And she knew exactly how to channel it; writing. Of course, she had sworn of writing awhile ago and yet, she always seemed to come right back to it. Maybe it was because she was in collaboration for a popular fanfiction, or maybe it was because she knew a certain fan would kill her if she stopped sending her email updates. Whatever the reason was, all that mattered as Dan was writing.

She loved the feeling of creating a new world out of old characters and she loved the power she received from controlling their fates. She could make the sweetest guy in the world a complete jerk and the dumbest brother be the most logical – she could make the familiar strange with just a few scribbles of the pencil. She could make her own experience theirs and vent in ways she didn't know until she picked up a pen and created words on a ripped piece of paper. This was her world.

A smile lit up her face and brought a glint into her brown eyes. She leaned over the paper and hastily wrote down the next lines:

_But then it would give him an answer. It would tell him if Jason meant what he had said. Finally, that alone won him over and answered the call._

_"Hey Nate, I-"_

_"Dorcy tried to rape me."_

Ok, so maybe not all of her stories were about rainbows, unicorns, and kissing in the rain, but honestly, where was the fun and originality of that?

Dan blinked, sitting back in the squashy armchair and pursed her lips, but that didn't hide the smirk. She had to take this moment and be thankful that her characters only existed, on occasion, in her dreams. If they were real, she was pretty sure that they would murder her in cold blood the first chance they got. But they weren't real; thank goodness.

Dan laughed, the sound mixing with the light patter of rain and she looked, grimacing slightly as the spider on the giant web scuttled across its web and under a leaf. That thing was huge and quite disgusting, but even a spider needs a place to live so Dan or her parents didn't bother to kill it or knock down the delicate fibers. She shook her and head, her dark hair falling from its bun and into her face as she tried to figure out why her readers idolized her like they did. She wasn't a happy writer and she always thought her stories to be predictable.

Then again, the more she tried to understand her readers, the more confused she got so this was better off left undiscovered.

"Dan!" She looked up, somewhat irritated when her mother walked into the room. The dark circles under her eyes reflected the late hour and Dan had to sigh, knowing what was coming next.

"Ok Mom, I'll go to bed." Sometimes it seemed like a better option to be an insomniac. Especially when a plot bunny was hopping around in her brain. But it was late and she could feel the time weighing down her eyes and making writing through the fog in her brain rather difficult. So she stood, her mother trailing her, and walked the short distance to her room. Not bothering to change – as she was already dressed in black sweatpants and a loose fitting tee shirt – she collapsed right into her bed. The notebook was placed on her nightstand and she smiled at it before letting her eyes drift close.

She heard her own words whisper back at her. She heard Nate and Jason in the fight she commanded a few chapters back. Then she heard them say her name, right as she fell into the claws of sleep, never to be released from the hatred of her characters: characters who will now never have their happy ending. The author was never going to write again. She was never going to play with the day-care kids. Never going to glare at the silky spider web. Never going to open her eyes to the real world. Not without the hope of the keys coming together and unlocking her soul from her own characters grips.

And so another was lost to the reality of dreams.

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() _

**_Everything around me was dark, featureless, and blank. Everything but the thin stream of light that illuminated the spot I stood in. The light came from nowhere and the darkness around me didn't have an end. _**

**_I heard voices but I couldn't make out the words or who was talking. Once in awhile, I thought to see shifting shadows, but no one was there. It was just me, lost in this gloom; alone. Normally, that would frighten me but there was a different feel to this place and my curiosity replaced the fear completely. It was almost like before, in the last dream I had. Though I didn't remember anything about it, I can recall the feeling of power, thrumming all around me. Power that I wanted to touch and let it flow into me, but I knew that I shouldn't. _**

**_And it made me feel uneasy. _**

**_The darkness around me wasn't normal. The disembodied voices came from the shadows, as did the figures. This blackness wasn't hiding anything from me – it was the blackness that was making these figures and voices and feelings. It had to be._**

**_I jumped back when I heard a scream of a young girl echo throughout the shadows. An image of soulless green eyes popped into my head, making me blink quickly to rid myself of the image. Those eyes… Nokia's eyes. But it wasn't Nokia who screamed. _**

**_Then who? _**

**_I spun around, my heart thundering when a wind brushed across my back. It felt like a claw lightly scraping against my skin, enough for me to feel its presence but not close enough to actually touch me. Was I protected from the shadows or were they playing with me? _**

**_"Joe!" I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Kevin's panic filled screech, "Please, help!" _**

**_"Kevin?" I called back, taking a step but stopped; my hand flying to the sudden fire around my neck in an attempt to stop the sudden flare of pain. I looked down; my pendant was lying in my hand, the burn still present against the skin of my palm. I took a step back so I was in my original position and the metal cooled. And somehow, I knew that this was a warning to stay put and not go further into the gloom. It told me to ignore the frantic calls from my brother. But could I do it? _**

**_"SHIT!" I started when Nick's swear reached my ears and I wanted to run to him and help him fend off whatever was attacking him, but then I realized that I wouldn't be much help to him, either way; I'd seen as much. So I stayed put, my hand still wrapped around the cool metal.  
"No, Nokia!" Panic filled my younger brother's voice and I closed my eyes, trying to tame the bloodied images that filled my mind. "Joe, help! I can't do this alone!" _**

**_My hands flew to cover my ears when I realized that I was the one that had used that last line so many times before; being alone was the worst thing I could imagine in life and now I had to let Nick face this alone! I wanted nothing more than to run into the darkness and find them and help them, but subconsciously, I knew I shouldn't. Couldn't. _**

**_"Joe." _**

**_My head shot up and I gasped when I saw the flash of blonde hair and brown eyes. She stepped forward out of the darkness, scratches covering her arms and a bleeding gas covering her cheek. _**

**_"Please, help us!" Stella begged, her voice pained and her breath coming in rags, "Please, we can't do this without you! We need your pendant and your soul! Please..." She reached out to me, her fingers stopping just before she hit the light. "Please." She whispered again, my hands doing nothing to drown out her pleas. _**

**_"Stella." I muttered my voice chocked. My hands fell from my ears and lifted shakily, my hand almost meeting hers. My pendant burned but I ignored it, not moving any further than this. _**

**_"Oneiro has us in their clutches, Joe. We need you to save us, please, help us!" _**

**_My hand dropped and I grabbed my pendant again. Stella's kind eyes flashed murderously but her hand did not drop. "Oneiro?" I whispered, looking around the nothingness with a thoughtful, hesitant expression. Stella nodded, fear entering her eyes again. _**

**_"Please Joe, they already have Nokia and Nick is going down. Kevin is trying to help him but we aren't strong enough! We need you!" I looked to the girl and nodded but made no attempt to move. _**

**_"I will help. Just answer this one question," Stella blinked, looking taken aback but she nodded, "What is my biggest fear?" The real Stella didn't know. I never told her and she never found out on her own, because I'd mastered concealing myself, but if this girl did, then it would confirm my suspicions. _**

**_Stella looked at me, confusion in her eyes. "Being alone." She whispered eventually, her hand reaching out again, "Please Joe, save us from being alone." _**

**_"No." She was only a nightmare. A figment of my dreams, of Oneiro. I would not fall prey to the nightmare's advance. _**

**_I watched her eyes flash red and she lunged towards me, screaming in agony as her pale hand entered the light. I watched the skin fall away, and the bone get scorched. When she pulled it from the light, it was nothing more than a shifting shadow that resembled the form of fingers. "You will help us, Joe. You won't leave us alone because if you do, then you will be alone as well." _**

**_"No I won't!" I countered, grasping my pendant with a clenching grip, suddenly more sure of myself, "I won't be alone, because my Stella, the _****real_ Stella is always with me. And I have my brothers now. I'm _not_ alone. Not anymore." _**

**_I stared at the abstract form of the shadows now freely surrounding the perimeter of my light, but I wasn't afraid. _**

**_"You can't scare me with your illusions anymore. I'm not alone and this, you," I pointed accusingly at them, "this is just a dream." _**

**_They shrunk back at my words, drifting further away from me and somehow, allowing the light around me to grow stronger, wider. _**

**_"And if I got what the professor said just right," I continued, holding the pendant up for them to see, or feel or whatever it was that they did, "then this gives me control over you." _**

**_I thought back at all the dreams I had all my life; all the pain they caused me and the shadow they threw over my life, over my family. Over the mother that had so kindly loved me, my best friend that had stuck with me when I cried. They hurt my parents and now they were hurting me and my newly found brothers. _**

**_I might not be very strong or a very good fighter. I might not be the bravest or the most emotionally balanced, but growing up as the only heir to a rich family gave me a bit of pride, a bit of an intimidating side to my personality. _**

**_Shortly said, I was used to feeling powerful._**

**"_Go away," I ordered, "Leave me alone," I told the shadows and miraculously, they parted for me. They drifted open like the red sea for Moses. I finally moved and the drifting form of darkness let me pass, watched me with an angry buzzing sound as I walked through them, my head held high, even though I had no idea where I was going and even though I was strangely aware that they were still leading me. _**

**_Eventually, through the gloom, I was able to make out a single, weak flicker of light, not a ray, like mine, but a very small bubble, barely a few feet high and wide. I walked towards it, slowly. For all I knew this was another trick from the drifting shadows of Oneiro. But I knew it wasn't when I saw what the little light contained. _**

**_It was the body of a little girl, curled up around herself, wearing nothing but a ripped, white gown as she drifted in the darkness, looking like she was sleeping. I didn't even think twice about walking towards her and enveloping her in my ray of light. She didn't burn or even move, except for a little twitch of contentment on her pale face. _**

**_My hand reached out again, this time to touch _****her_. My pendant didn't burn, but it seemed like my fingers did, for when I brushed her cheek, the eyes of the young girl flew open. _**

**_I stared into the vibrant green colour for barely a second. _**

And then I woke up.

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()_

**August 2nd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, apartment 4.12**

_Journal Entry of July 15, 1982_

_A breakthrough. In a mere three days we have reached the breakthrough of our entire research. We realised the Sumnus Vera was not keeping us out, we simply did not search for the right way in.  
In fact, we are already in the middle of it. It is all around us, ready to be taken. _

_Paul's boy, Thomas, gave us the idea by asking why we needed weak minds to enter Oneiro, when the alternate reality itself was so powerful. Why would it want to keep us out? His hypothesis caught our ears; getting drawn into it wasn't the key; it was getting out of it that was. Or rather, with what Thomas meant; getting it out of our heads._

You see, we figured that all of us are already part of the Sumnus Vera and possess a little bit of its essence. The dreams we dream, the nightmares we experience during the night. It's with us and it's all Oneiro. We do not have to take the weak minds to the dream-reality; we simply take their dreams from them.

_I only wish my own son would wake up and stop fussing over his precious May –his mind is wasted on the woes of his daughter. He fails to understand that this is all for the greater good and is offended when I say I do not believe the effects he claims on his child will be any worse than a prolonged nightmare.  
And dare I say; wouldn't she get better if we controlled the dreams that apparently haunt her nights? _

_But that will only be achieved once we tame the nightmare's kindred spirits and with Thomas's new theory and our completion of the key, I have no doubt that we will. _

_Our questions will finally be answered: the questions humankind has been asking itself for centuries. And the questions that rose when we found the existence of the Sumnus Vera. What does Oneiro want with us? Why does it allow us to dream such horrible and yet wondrous things? What keeps it coming back to us every time we fall into the hands of slumber? How does it access our minds and how do we access it?_

_If we can figure this out, then we will be able to find the method to tame the dreams, forever. _

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()_

**_There you (finally) have it! Hope you liked it! Reviews are love. _**


	11. On the verge of wake

_silver: _... okay seriously, we suck with updating (I say 'we' because it was totally my fault this time)

**Chibiyu:** We're sorry for the few month delay, guys. Forgive us?

_Silver:_ to our defence; ... okay, admitted, I don't have a defence, just over 7000 words of apology. We suck *goes to sulk in a corner*

Nick: Yes, yes you do. And I'm not just saying that in retaliation of your love for torturing me.__

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**August 3rd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, apartment 4.12**

_He watched the youth's bruised face in its calmest state: not a twitch or a scowl passed his lips but I knew his slumber was far from peaceful. The Professor's eyes flicked as his fingers twitched and arms tightened, pulling the warmth of the small body closer to him. Nokia did not stir from the movement and her brother snuggled__ closer to her. His face, now brushed against her fair hair morphed into a scowl, complete with the furrowing of his brow. Oneiro was ascending again. How much time did we have before it fell and covered the entire world in its blanket? And how could even he stop this?_

_The Prof finally had the keys but the owners, well one of them, was not willing to take another risk in his life – something he could understand but do not agree with. _

_This is bigger than Nicholas: his little life and soul will mean nothing if Oneiro takes over. Everything will mean nothing; they will all just be prisoners to our darkest desires and most feared haunting. _

"You have to help us." _The old scientist whispered, having no intention of waking either of the children, but needing to voice the question that cannot easily be solved. Nicholas groaned lightly, burying his face right into his sister's hair and his pendant falling into view. The man reached out and touched the freezing metal; it should have been warmed by their skin, as well as the blanket covering the two._

_He shook his head, dropping the pendant back near the boy's heart on his bare chest. He did not know the horrors this boy was facing behind his closed lids, but he could only imagine how bad it would have been to make the key this cold. The Professor understood the temperature was a warning to Nicholas – something he would be able to feel through the layers of unconsciousness. But what was he being warned of and was he heeding it? And how could he live through these dreams and still deny the fact that he was needed to save his reality and the world his mind is drawn to during sleep? _

_Savage's fingers gently brushed Nicholas's arm before he moved to the smooth skin of the gang leader's younger sibling. She didn't stir, but her eyes fluttered open and found his quickly. She just stared at the older and the elder stared back, getting lost in the eloquently familiar hue and intensity of her eyes. _

"What are you doing?"_ She spoke first, her young voice in a whisper as to not wake the one hugging her. _

"Can I ask you a question?" _He avoided hers with one of his own. She nodded, unable to keep on one train of thought in her tiredness and naivety. _"When you first saw the Ohm," _She nodded again, looking like she knew what he was going to ask. _"When you saw it, was it in a dream or on the counter with the necklaces?"

_Nokia blinked. _"Dream." _She said, pausing when Nicholas shifted again, restless as the nightmares tormented him. _"I was looking in a mirror and my reflection was holding the Ohm, all put together. It scared me, a lot. Then I woke up." _The young girl told, looking at her big brother's pendant and touching it lightly. _"Cold." _She whispered to no one, hunkering back down against her brother and looking up into his tense face. _"Nightmare." _She sighed, looking back over to me when the man shifted. _

"Does he have them often?" _It was a clue to know how bad it was with him. Joseph was sleeping calmly now, after his first nightmare in days, with the blonde at his side. Kevin was out-cold, though the tension in his eyes got more visible everyday. Their pendants were normal temperature. They didn't suffer nightly – not yet. _

_Nokia shrugged, not knowing. _"We all do." _She revealed, but hers must be normal – they live in one of the more violent towns, nightmares have to be a common occurrence. Its no wonder Nicholas is farther ahead than his brothers. _"Don't take Nicky from us."

_Savage lowered his eyes to the picture of innocence in front of him, trying not to focus too much on her eyes. _"I don't want too, but I need too. He will come back though." _The Professor had to bite his tongue to hold back the word: maybe. _

"He won't go if he doesn't want too." _The younger said to him, sounding too determined and sure in her youth. _"You can't make him." _The Professor eyed the scowl permanently etched into the older boy's brow and to the scars that littered his shoulders and arms. He knew the girl was right about that – he couldn't force this boy to do anything. But if he didn't want to come back with us to my lab, then the world would be doomed. _

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**I woke up with the smell of grass in my nose and a sense of danger in the back of my mind.  
The purple strands brushed my face and a lukewarm breeze rippled over my exposed back. I had no idea how I'd ended up on the ground. It didn't even faze me that I wasn't wearing a shirt of some sort, for I didn't remember having a shirt on before I fell asleep. **

**Groaning, I pulled myself up in a sitting position and attempted at brushing the dirt off my face and chest, leaving smudges and wipes of the dark ground on my skin. **

**I remembered having the weirdest dream again; sitting in a dream and wondering myself about… something. I recalled having something warm in my arms, but I couldn't visualise what it'd been. It had been little, had it been a boy, or a girl? I wasn't even sure if it'd been a human at all. Maybe I had been holding a bird, for all I knew. **

**Sitting here pondering over what I had been wondering about wasn't going to do me any good; I decided and rose from the lavender grass. **

**My hand circled around the pendant that hung from my neck; it was cold against my naked skin. Why would it be cold? It was so warm here. The chill was the only thing that felt unnatural in this world that felt unsafe. I didn't like it. But instead of tearing it from my skin, I decided to look around and figure out where I was. **

**I was in a field, with grass spreading out from where I stood, over purple hills and valleys, until it kissed the maroon-coloured night-sky, which was splattered with stars. I felt like the moons were looking down on me, standing on top of one of those hills, with only a few massive fuchsia-trees scattered around me. **

**I walked towards one of them, pushing the thoughts of warmth, comfort and distress to the back of my mind. I touched the bark, running my fingers over the rough surface. **

_**How did I get here? **_**A vague voice in the back of my head wondered. **

**I didn't get the chance to think that through, and my heart lurched in my chest when a face appeared from behind the tree, directly in front of mine. I could've sworn she hadn't been there earlier, had she flown down when I hadn't been looking? **

**Her eyes were kind, but they frightened me, even when she smiled and stepped from behind the tree. She was no threat: she was smaller and softer then I was, but I was cautious. I stepped back when she stepped forward, and again when she kept pursuing. My eyes were sucked into hers, brown like mine, and gentle. I didn't notice the tree behind me until I tripped over one of its roots and landed on my back. **

**Pain shot through my spine and my face cramped up as all the air was momentarily pushed from my lungs. The woman saw my hurt and rushed forward, making me scramble backwards, even through the pain. **

_**I didn't trust anything in this world, not anymore.**_

**"Oh, my darling," She sounded so possessive when she walked straight towards me and fell on her knees, reaching out, "There you are."  
Her auburn hair fell over her face, hiding her smile and casting it in shadows as her hands ghosted over my face, neck and chest, almost like she cared. **

**Did she? **

**"Oh Nicholas," she whispered, taking my face in her hands as I kept gaping at her, "My son, take my hand." I blinked, knowing her face. **

**"Mom?" I whispered, unsure of myself, it had been a long time since I'd seen my own mother.  
My dreams usually supplied me with a mother, but she wasn't my actual mother, just my adoptive mom.  
I wanted to reach out and pull the red-haired woman into a hug – pull my mother into a hug – but I couldn't move. **

**My pendant started to burn, though nothing was visible when I looked down at it. It was an ice-cold burn that I recognised, something that I was familiar with, and somehow, this soothed me more then worried me. The cold no longer bothered me. **

**"Nick," I tuned towards my mother's voice again, my pendant becoming too icy cold to hold in my hand. I had no choice but to release the metal back against my chest, in vain hope it would warm up against my skin. **

**"What is that?" she questioned, "Do you know what it is?" **

**I found myself shaking my head; no, I didn't know. It was just there. **

**"Do you want to give it to me?" She asked. **

**"I don't know." I whispered, searching her face for more similarities. What did this pendant matter to her? **

**Flashes of faces burned in my mind and I had to close my eyes against them, afraid they might slip out if I didn't. Someone, a man, an old man with a book, he'd told me about my necklace. Hadn't he? Weren't there more of them? **

**I wasn't sure. I didn't remember there being more. **

**"It's got something to do with my dreams," I said to my mother, almost glad there was something I could tell her, until the flashing anger between her eyes made the smile disappear from my face. **

**"My mom never gets angry with me," I told her, meaning the mother from my dreams. That was one thing I was sure of – I never remembered seeing even a shred of disappointment, much less anger, in her eyes. **

**This woman's skin swept against mine, cold and almost scaly compared to the warmth of what I'd felt in my dream. And her touch flared the burning to my pendant. Her slap burned my cheek and I could only stare at her in horror, her skin still pressed against mine, as her eyed narrowed to slits. **

**What was going on? **

**"You're not my mom." I muttered, my fingers clasping around the metal of my pendant again when I noticed her hand slipping down towards it. I found the power to stand. "So what are you?" **

**I watched my mom's soft brown eyes turn red and her tongue flicked out, forked and pale. I retreated slowly, watching her hands morph into claws and her teeth elongate into fangs. The kind woman that had once offered me her hand was now the monster I had been wary of all along. But she was more than that. She was something evil – something that wasn't in my world before. **

"**You're what took me here – what killed my world!" I accused, sure that she was the one that had brought me to this field and sure that she was the one who caused the change in my world. Maybe even the one that had taken me away from my family. **

_**Which family? **_

**"Your world?" The creature hissed, still sounding too much like my mom. "Open your eyes son; this is your world now. Join us and live in prosperity, forever." She, it, the thing extended its claw and the shadows peeled back until a smooth feminine hand was seen. "Take my hand and all your pain will melt away. Everything you've ever wanted will be yours. You will be happy." My hand ****rose. "Come with me, my son and let us live together in a happy family. Everything will be ok. There will be light again and beauty." My hand hovered over hers and I was about to drop my hand when my pendant burned white hot, forcing my hand back to cover it so it didn't burn my chest. "Nicholas?"**

**"No." **

**Her eyes flashed and the claws were back. "Then suffer like the others." She lunged and pain flashed not only from the pendant in my hand, but from her claws scratching at my arms that covered my face and I found myself screaming.**

**My pendant seared hot, screeches of pain met my ears, and then nothing**

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**August 3rd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, apartment 4.12**

He didn't like this; he didn't like this one bit.

"Help me block the door!" Tynisha called, and Kevin immediately rose from his hiding place behind the counter. He cringed at the sound of wood on metal, metal on flesh. This place was insane, he couldn't help thinking, as he helped Nick's adoptive mother place the kitchen table, toppled over, in front of the barely-repaired door.

"Nick won't let any of them get here," Tynisha said, her face pale and emotionless, "But we're not going to take any risks, especially not now that the door is partially gone."

Seriously insane, Kevin confirmed, the ring of gunshots in his ears. He'd woken up that morning around nine from shouting and the loud slam of a door falling in its lock. The professor had informed him it had been Nick leaving the apartment in a rush after some kid had come barging in. His face, according to the professor, had been fairly upset. Kevin translated this as Nick being extremely angry.

He was worried for his brother, especially now that some riot had started. Right outside the building. Kevin was positive that Nicholas was caught in the middle. His stomach turned at the thought that his little brother was part of a gang, with knives and fights and everything.

A bang silenced the room and only caused an eruption from below.

"Holy Mike, was that a gun?" Joe questioned weakly, his hand shaking violently as he thought of what was occurring just a few floors down. He and Stella were seated against the wall in the door less room Nick normally slept in. They were partially out of view, where Tynisha had directed them to stay. The professor and Nokia were with them. The girl was looking way too calm about all of this: she was used to it. And Joe found that a shame. One so young so be cowering in a closet and crying at these noises instead of just watching the wall.

A loud explosion tore through the apartment only moments later, shattering several windows and throwing both him and Tynisha against the wall beside the door.

"Car," Tynisha explained shortly, before she dragged him back to the kitchen, where they hid behind the counter. How could she know that just from the shock and the sound?

Kevin led himself slid down the wall, leaning against the lower cabinets and facing the door. To his right, he saw Joe looking at him, but he didn't look back. Instead, he faced Tynisha. Her blonde hair was even messier then usual and she was wearing a waitress's outfit. She noticed his stare, sending an exhausted glance his way, but ignored his silent questions. _Later, _her eyes told him, _later_.

She leaned her head against the cabinets behind her, listening to the noise coming from outside.  
The screams and chanting were even louder now that some of the windows were gone and Kevin swore he could hear the cackling of a fire.

It was a war out there. A battlefield. Death and pain ruled these ghetto streets now, and there was nothing he could do about it. What did he know of fighting? Nothing; not nearly enough to even consider himself capable of protecting Nick. And he hated that – hated that he couldn't do what an older brother was supposed to do.

Wails of agony, cries that sounded like death itself, he saw that they made Stella cringe from the corner of his eye, but the little girl still wasn't fazed. It was like she was waiting for something. But what?

Absolutely insane, he thought once again, this world was messed up, completely and utterly bonkers.  
Another explosion highlighted his thoughts and he grabbed Tynisha's hand out of reflex. It wasn't a gesture of affection, or meant to soothe her. He just needed the physical contact, to assure himself that he wasn't the only one that was scared or worried about his little brother. That he wasn't the only one that thought this was horrible.

They sat like that for what seemed a torturous eternity, but what was in fact nothing more than half an hour, before the sounds of animalistic shouting almost disappeared; subdued by the power of distance. The war was moving away. Something was forcing them back.

Kevin glanced to Nokia, watching her smile slightly. His eyes widened when he realized the impossible was happening; his little brother was winning.

After a while, Tynisha released his hand and cautiously approached the windows. She glanced outside briefly. She was gazed upon by the rest of them, glancing around corners like they expected people to climb through the windows and resume the war in the tiny apartment.

"It's okay, most of it is gone now," Tynisha said shakily and Kevin watched his brother and his girlfriend release relieved breaths in tandem.

Carefully, all of them left their hiding places, and joined Tynisha at the window. What they saw wasn't too different from what the street had looked like before; the blood was just visibly fresh and the cars were still burning, illuminating the few scattered masked teens running the to scene like scavengers. Kevin saw the shine of knives in their hands, blunt, black shadows of sticks and stones.

Kevin turned around, disgusted, heading for the couch where the professor was already seated, looking slightly green.

"What is he?" Kevin questioned with a fiery tone, as though blaming the woman in front of her, watching Tynisha stiffen, "What does he do? What has he got to do with this?"

She didn't answer him, choosing to stare out the window for a few more minutes until Joe and Stella had joined him on the couch. Nokia was no where in sight, but Kevin saw a tiny, eavesdropping hand on the doorstep of the little room.

_Eleven, he was barely eleven when Tynisha noticed he'd gone out on his own. She still didn't know if it'd been the first time, or one of many, but she had said nothing. It was inevitable, though she'd tried to protect him as best as she could. Her little boy. It was his choice though and she knew why he did it. She was reminded of it every time she saw him look into the crib. _

_It was mostly the innocent that got hurt, and Nick, way too smart for an eleven-year-old, had connected the dots. He had to give up his innocence to protect his family. _

_Stupid kid. _

_They lived as low on profile as possible, they would survive if they were careful and nothing unexpected happened. But Nick didn't do 'ifs'. _

_He'd joined the Administration. _

"We deserve to know," Kevin insisted gently, "We're his brothers, and we have the right to know what's going on. We want to help."

Tynisha laughed humourlessly, turning her back to the window to face them. "Nick doesn't need help."

"With what?" Joe added smartly.

Tynisha sighed and turned back towards the window, as if she didn't want to see their faces when she spoke. "With leading the Administration, one of the most powerful and dangerous gangs in the neighbourhood," she sighed.

_She remembered the night he returned from what was possibly the fight of his life. He hadn't told her about it. He never told her about those things and she never asked, but she wasn't stupid, or uninformed. It'd been buzzing around the block for days now. A young Add was going to challenge the current leader of the Administration, a mentally unstable lad nicknamed Crux. The youngster was only sixteen, the rumours told, but extremely skilled. Some hoped and some feared that he would replace the easily angered twenty-something year old man that had terrorised the area in the last couple of years. _

_She had immediately known – felt – that it was Nick. And she'd forced herself to stay on the couch all night until he returned home on the break of dawn, bloodied and with three broken ribs, but with a victorious smile on his face. _

_She hadn't asked questions, he hadn't said anything, as usual. But she'd been proud if him, on a certain level. It was twisted and wrong and horrible, but it was their world in which they had to make do. And he'd done wonderfully. And all she had done was taken care of him, bandaged his wounds with pride in her sad eyes. This was her son. Hers. _

_What a stupidly glorious boy. _

"So he's not just in a gang, he's the goddamn _leader_ of a gang," Kevin summed up, receiving a glare from Stella for his language, "And the most dangerous one out there as well?"

Tynisha nodded and Kevin let himself fall back against the couch, breathing out. He couldn't believe that this woman, his damn mother, had let Nick get sucked into something so vicious.

"Why?" Joe questioned, he ran a hand through his hair in a confused gesture, not caring for once, that he messed it up.

"Because he wanted, or in his case, _needed_ to protect us," the young mother answered him, arms wrapped around herself almost protectively.

Stella was the next one to offer a question; "So he was leading that war out there?"

She nodded.

"He joined the Administration when he was around eleven, just after Nokia was born. He defeated their leader at sixteen. He's been the top man and ever since, the district has never been this controlled. Sure, there are lots of fights, because most of them demand his blood, but not nearly as many and not nearly as pointless as they used to be," Her voice was affectionate, nearly proud as she spoke of her son, "As I see it, he tamed them. He controls them now, uses them to keep control."

"You make him sound like a heartless dictator," Joe spoke up, accusingly, "I don't believe that."

Tynisha shot him a calculating look, before she nodded, "You're right, he isn't. He just knows what he has to do to protect innocent lives. Like I said, they demand blood, violence of him. It's the way things work here," She uncrossed her arms and pointed at the window, "What you just saw, it's not often it happens, but it still happens regularly. You don't break the law here when you carry a weapon; you're stupid if you don't. You have to fight to stay alive."

Kevin was shocked at the dismissing way she spoke of all the violence, at the acceptance of all of this in her voice. Nick, his little brother, had grown up in this environment of violence and hatred. No wonder he was so cold and sarcastic towards the world. He'd known nothing but what he learned here.  
It pained Kevin; physically hurt him deep in his heart, as he stared at the woman by the window. Tynisha had a wild look in her eyes, fierce and pained, but so very proud of her son.

He watched as Stella rose from her seat and walked towards the woman, embracing her stiff figure until she collapsed against her.

"Why don't you leave, then?" she asked gently.

"I- we can't," Tynisha stuttered, "I can't afford anything else, but this rotten place. I don't make that much and Nick refuses to… let me earn more," she trailed off.

Prostitution, Kevin added in his head, Nick wouldn't let her sell herself to earn extra money. He'd underestimated what these people had to go through on a daily basis. And he found that he was more disgusted by this fact than the war that had been going on moments previously.

"What was I supposed to do? Raise them on the streets, like thieves? Nick doesn't even exist, according to our law. At least there's something of a proper school here, a little future for us. I would have failed them if I hadn't taken the risk. Or should I just have accepted the fact that we were poor, homeless and right about doomed?"

Kevin noticed the Professor was watching the scene before his eyes with a neutral, almost intrigued expression on his face. His eyes were partially invisible behind his glasses and he was looking at Tynisha very intently. He would never understand this man.

"Of course not," Joe muttered in response to Tynisha, "No one said –"

"But no one understands," she interrupted him, stepping away from Stella, closer again to the shattered window.

The silence that followed was loaded. Even the noise from outside had completely vanished now, leaving us surrounded with a thick blanket of nothingness.

"How much is he willing to do to protect you?"

Everyone in the room stared at the Professor, who had apparently decided to join the conversation. His eyes were narrowed at the young woman, his pompous shirt ajar from what they'd been through in the last couple of days.

"Everything," Nick's mom answered without hesitance, "he'd kill for us, and I'm pretty certain he has already."

Kevin closed his eyes, not finding this confession all too hard to believe. He'd seen Nick fight, seen how dangerous and deadly he could be. He was glad he was on the boy's good side. On the man's good side.

"You've seen how he is when he thinks we're in danger, he fights without mercy, and how he breaks his own morals for us. He _hates _violence with a passion, but he does it for us. He created DarkSinger for us."

"Who?"

_Nick had been singing all his life and he was really, truly good at it. His voice was soothing, yet electrifying and she'd always loved hearing him sing. Nothing calmed Nokia, or her for that matter, down like his soothing voice at night. His songs had been less frequent lately, but when he sung, she swore every bird, cockroach and human stopped to listen. _

_His gang members had noticed too, and rumours in the café had told her the Administration leader had the tendency to sing after a battle, or a gang-war. She'd heard they were haunting songs: songs full of the promise of pain to whoever might have the wish to cross him. _

_She couldn't even imagine those songs when nothing but good words had ever crossed his lips with her.  
His enemies feared his voice, deep and dangerous, yet melodic and his gang obeyed every word that left his throat. He was fairly intimidating, physically, he was fast and skilled when it came to fighting, but nothing got him more respect then his voice. _

_It had earned him his nickname, DarkSinger. _

_She was glad; she would've hated a name that praised his skill to hurt or his violent ways when people didn't respect him or the Administration. _

_He was their voice of terror, her voice of hope. _

"It's his gang-name. It's to avoid too much of personal contact and it's a showing of trust when you trust another with your true name," She explained shortly.

"Ah," The Professor said, and looked like he was planning to sink back into his thoughts, but this time, Tynisha interrupted _him_.

"You're planning on taking him away from us," she said, fear entering her voice and a fist forming.

Kevin had long since realised why this was a very bad idea in a situation like the one this family was in, but the professor seemed honestly surprised by the accusation in her voice.

"Why yes, Nicholas has a purpose to fulfil."

"But what about his purpose here? We need him. _I_ need him here. He's our only protection and our only hope," said Tynisha, her voice firm, "Take that into consideration before you haul him away to serve his country. A country that has done nothing for him whatsoever."

They stared at each other, the skinny teen-mom and the elderly professor, until the Professor lowered his eyes and looked away.

Nothing was said after that and we went to clean the apartment, awaiting the return of who no one dared to speak the name of.

The yells that had echoed in the city had died down completely; the hushed cries of the injured were the only prominent noises now.  
The had had, of course, ended rather quickly, but the sounds of violence where long gone.

Stella and Kevin bent down to pick up the broken shards of glass from the floor while Joe helped the Professor move the table back to its original position. Nokia ran over to the window and glanced down, sighing when she turned back to the room. Her bright eyes looked disappointed.

Everyone but the child in the beat-up apartment jumped when the sound of heavy footsteps climbing the stairs reached their ears. Their pace was quick and Tynisha ran to Nokia, standing in front of the child while the two brothers stood; ready to defend if the need arose. One breath was inhaled by every mouth in the room when the steps closed in.

Stella screamed when the door was thrown open, and the force behind it shook the walls of the living space.

"You." Mouths dropped when Nick, or something that looked like Nick, walked through the doorway. Tynisha gasped as she saw his face, taking a single step forward, but stopped when she saw the look in her son's eyes. Anger shook through his entire frame and hatred found its way into his heavy glare.  
"Savage." He said and the professor's eyes widened at the call, thoroughly frozen by the teens tone.

Joe stood slowly, taking in his youngest brother's shaking hands and pale with rage skin. He was bloodied and scraped, obviously beat up badly, but what caught his attention most was the purple hue surrounding Nick's left eye. There was no ignoring the swollen nature and the broken blood vessels around and in his eye. But the thing that struck Joe as most disturbing was that the gang leader did not even seem bothered by his injury.

"Nicholas, your eye," Tynisha breathed out, reaching over and gently touching it. "Hun, its throbbing."

"Leave it." Nick pulled away, his tone making his mother snap back as if he had slapped her in the face. He strode over to the Professor, purpose in his step. "Outside." He ordered, gripping the man's arm and dragging him out the door before giving the elder the chance to answer.

Kevin made a move to follow, but Nokia cut him off; grabbing his leg and shaking her head, she forced him to stay. The message was clear; this was Nick's business only.

"Nicholas, I must insist that you let me go and tell me what this is about!"  
The Professor tried to pull away from the youngsters iron grasp, but his grip only tightened and the silence stretched on, as Nick led the man down all flights of stairs, his anger never dying though something did grow in his eyes. The curly haired boy threw open the exit door and yanked the Professor out, pinning him to the outside wall. "Nicholas, stop this nonsense!" his victim cried.

"What about this _isn't_ nonsense?" Nick roared, letting the man go and taking one step back so the two weren't nose to nose. "This is my life, Savage." Nick growled, poking the man in the chest. "This will always be my life. Do you understand it now?"

"It doesn't have to be. You don't have to be DarkSinger!" Savage tried to reason with the distressed male and much to his appreciation, some tension was lost in the younger's brow. "If you come with me, your brothers and you will be safe."

Nick scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I. Can't. Leave." He emphasised, "I have to stay here to protect my mother and sister. I will _always _be here to protect them."

My Professor reached out, dropping his hand after a moment of hesitation, figuring the teen wouldn't want to be touched. "I am quite rich, Nicholas. I can assure your mother and your sister's safety. I can take them out of here and have them live in safety. I'll bathe them in royal environments, if you please. I'll help you protect them, if only you agree to come with me." Savage needed Nick and his pendant and he would give anything to make the teen cooperate. "I have a summer home, one that Nokia will love and one that your mother can enjoy herself in. You won't have to worry about them or their future."

Savage leaned forward excitedly when Nick's gaze flicked to the top of the building, doubt in his eyes; doubt that he could get everything he didn't want to choose. And the elder man pressed on, hoping to win the teen over. "And when we are done, you can return to them and play in the open yard with your sister. Stay with them forever, in the safety of a saved world. This goodbye won't have to be forever."

Something flashed in the professor's eyes and Nick lowered his gaze, his fingers twitching into fists_. It would be forever,_ he thought, _he was lying. _If this man's plan lead them to a fate worse than this hell hole, there would be no happily ever after in a summer-home. But he couldn't only think for only himself – there are two more thirds to his equation. This man, this professor Savage, he offered them a way out of here and he couldn't be the one who denied them happiness and freedom.

"Come with me, Nicholas, and I swear that your family will be safe."

"What about the people here?" Nick argued, wanting to agree, but not willing to give up his position in the gang hierarchy, his control over matters of life and death. His leadership meant safety for a lot of people. It meant an era of relative peace. The Professor looked around the beat up roads and sighed, not having the answer.

"I can't just leave," Nick hissed, "I'm not one of those scoundrels that betray their people for the smell of freedom."

"Don't you have a second in command?" Judging by the way Nicholas dipped his head and looked off to the side, he did. "Put him in charge. If you wish to return here when our job is done, then you can. You can do whatever you want to do after you and I are done."

The way this man came up with solutions, one after another, was terrible.

Nick's pendant was currently being flicked between his fingers, his face still turned away. "What was this job again?" He looked back up, eyes rather sceptical. "To risk my own neck to seal some world or hole our ancestors created? Sounds stupid." But even Nick had to admit that it was worth getting everything he loved to the safe environment they deserved.

"I'll let you think about it." The older man made to walk back inside when Nick's fingers closed around his wrists.

"You can take them somewhere safe?" His voice was soft, almost pleading to the elder.

"I can."

"You guarantee that nothing will happen to them, even if I don't succeed in whatever mission it is you have planned for me and my brothers?"

The professor nodded solemnly, the wish for his own family's safety obvious in his eyes.

Nick looked up again and sighed, eyes falling shut. "I'm in."

"Splendid! Shall I tell everyone else?"

His mood-swings too, were terrifying.

"No!" The Professor blinked at the sudden barked order, "It's my place to tell them."

The old man nodded and retreated back inside. "By the way, your mother said it was dangerous to be out tonight." He looked at Nick's blackened eye and nodded to himself, "I suppose she was right. Watch yourself son."  
He vanished, the door closing with a slight click, leaving the teen alone in the night. He huffed at the man's naïve thoughts.

A figure dropped from above, not even earning a flinch from the other.  
"What are you doing here?" He asked, exhaustion creeping into his voice as he let his fingers get entangled in hers. His face throbbed and his body was screaming for sleep, even if sleep meant horrid dreams.

"Are you really going?" Macy whispered, pushing her hard hair thickened with sweat and blood from her face.

Nick nodded slowly, his eyes focussing on hers, remembering the promise she made him, "I would like to see you go with Nokia and my Mom."

Macy shook hers quickly, pursing her lips and pulling on Nick's arm. "But I'm going with you, and nothing you say or do will stop me."

"Nothing?" Macy nodded, her grip tightening. "Okay then, fine." He gave in without a fight, unwilling to throw another blow this evening. His fingers found the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"Put on your brave face, DarkSinger, you have a crown to pass."

Nick found himself smirking lightly as his girlfriend punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Come with me, NightCat?"

Macy smiled, hugging his arm tightly. "Always."

Nick kissed her temple, finding comfort in holding something so soft and knowing that she wouldn't need his protection, eve though he would gladly give it.

"How's the shoulder?" he asked as he started leading her down the road.

"Better. I patched it up." She rolled said body part and winced slightly before readjusting her hold on her boyfriends arm.

They walked along the darkness of the streets, hiding in the shadows and searching for their target.

"Are you sure about this?" Macy asked eventually, when the boy they were looking for came into sight. His hair, nearly glowing in the darkness, wasn't easy to miss.

Nick didn't answer for a moment, watching the young man throw out his palm, in a way Nick had long since memorised, breaking his opponent's nose.

"I'm positive."

They watched him grab the intruder by the shoulders and pushed him towards the nearest alley. The other retreated, running at full force away from the other man, an insane smirk on his face.

"Xavier!" Nick shouted at the gangly teen, his voice echoing strangely in the nightscape. It was the voice of DarkSinger, ruthless leader of the Administration.

The called boy jumped and turned, wiping his hands on his pants before strutting over. "DarkSinger, NightCat." He greeted, sniffing and shaking out his palm. "We showed them, right? No one messes with the Administration!"

Macy and Nick both responded with a shake of their heads.

"Xavier, I need to talk to you," Nick spoke first, as always.

"Did I do something wrong?" The younger asked, sounding like he would enjoy an affirmation. .

Nick slowly smiled. "No, you've done everything right." Xavier smirked and shrugged, though his face turned slightly suspicious from the compliment. "Which is why I need to talk to you."

Nicholas put his hand on the taller boy's shoulder and led him down the street, Macy trailing faithfully behind them. "I'm going to leave Administration territory for an undisclosed amount of time."

"What? Seriously, DarkSinger, after a victory like this? They will want to honour you!"

"Just listen." Nick held up his free hand, silencing the boy easily. "You, Xavier, have been my second in command and my friend for a long time." He stopped, turning to face the white blonde male. "I cannot trust the Administration in anyone else's hands, _Oliver_, so will you take my place in the hierarchy until I return?"

Xavier's eyes widened at the use of his true name, his instincts immediately sharpening, before he nodded fervently, awe in his eyes. "You can count on me, DarkSinger." He answered seriously; all play removed from his eyes.

"And if you don't," Nick's voice suddenly dropped, the air becoming colder with his tone. "If you lead any of my people into unnecessary danger, or destroy what I have built, or even mess one thing up, I _will _be back to kick your ass." Nick grabbed the front of the boy's torn shirt, fisting it tightly, pulling the other down to his level. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Xavier swallowed in relief when he was released and when the leader took a step back.

"I'm trusting you." He stated, eyeing the one to take his place with hard eyes.

The younger back with steel in his eyes and nodded once. "You can count on me."

"If I come back to even one thing out of place, you will pay the price. Am I understood?" Xavier nodded again, nerves mounting to the point where he was ready to back down. Nick watched his friend grit his teeth and hold out his hand. He smirked and took it. "Take care of the Administration." He was about to turn away, but the grip on his hand did not let him.

"You sure that you're coming back?" Xavier asked, an ounce of concern entering his voice. "The feds didn't catch you, did they?"

Nick chuckled, pulling his hand away. "No, they didn't catch me." He glanced to Macy, unsure about answering the first question. "Am I coming back?" He looked back over the teen. "You know I don't plan that far ahead." His smirk dropped as he stepped away. "Remember Xavier, if you put one person in danger, I will know. I will come back. And you will suffer." He turned around, walking away from the man he had called a friend somewhere in the back of his mind, his arm swung around Macy's shoulders.

Xavier suddenly broke out in a full smile when he watched Macy hug Nick's waist.  
"Have fun on your honeymoon!" he yellowed

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	12. Leaving Nightmares Behind

**Chibiyu: **_So...I am taking over this story. Silver is MIA from fanfiction and she gave me permission to do this. Sorry it's been so long, guys. But it should be much more frequent from now on. No more 6,000+ worded chapters though._

_We don't own JONAS or anything other than the plot. _

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**August 3rd, 2010; Borderline New Jersey, apartment 4.12  
**_Journal Entry of July 17, __1982_

_Another complication has halted our desire for more. The dreams are not just one level of thoughts. Dreams, though we had known their complexity, go farther than any human can fathom. Their world is without begin or end and the sky does not mark the highest point. Oneiro cannot be measured and that makes taming it almost unfathomable. But this is what Paul, Thomas and I are experts in; doing what is said cannot be done. Oneiro and its power will be ours to tame. It will be our gift to mankind, the peace of dreams comes true. Where a young girl's dead dog will walk again with her, where anything thought of can be held. _

_But Oneiro dislikes the idea for it evades our fingers with every swipe we make. It delves deeper within the human mind than we anticipated. However, it will not evade us forever. Even my failure of a son can see it when he is not consumed with the nightmares of his daughter. He knows we are close, and he begs for us to stop. Tells us that his daughter is getting worse every time we force open the world and that every time we seal it, she is never the same. My son does not understand that May's sufferings will be over once we figure this out. We tested her dreams, watched her soul resonate with the consciousness of those locked away. She was our first subject and she will be the first to benefit. _

_But he cannot understand this. He is blind. _

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The Professor looked to his arm, trying to ignore the faint hand-shaped bruise Nicholas had infused upon him. It had been his own fault; he had struggled against the teen's grasp and the teen responded with a tighter grip. It had been instinct for the younger to do so and the Professor had been blind to that fact. Again his glasses-clad eyes went to the round clock on the wall, sighing when he noticed the difference in hours. The war on the streets was in the early morning; Nicholas had appealed to him and agreed to carry out his destiny before noon. The sun was now high, the clouds offering little protection to the over-heating world.

Everyone seemed antsy about the youth's return – even Tynisha was constantly checking the time, her lips pursed in worry. Nokia sat in the middle of the floor, a ragged doll clutched in her hands; the dress looking like it was made out of napkins instead of cloth. Savage vowed to buy the girl a proper toy when they left this horrid place. Stella had long since joined the girl on the floor, her nimble fingers weaving together scraps of fabric into a new dress for the dirt-stained doll. Joe and Kevin were talking quietly, their voices barely drifting over to where the Professor sat. He could only catch a few words such as 'insanity' and 'different.'

"Does it normally take him this long to come back?" Stella asked, her voice sounding out of place in the silence.

Tynisha lifted her head, her fingers playing with a small hole in the sleeve of her waitress uniform. The answer was clear by the tears in her eyes.

"I'm sure he's okay," Stella tried to redeem herself, not wanting to be the fire that ignited the fuse of mourning. The mother could only stiffly nod, her eyes glued to the broken windows, searching for some sign of life on the streets below.

Little did any of them know, Nicholas was ok. He was standing tall and calmly addressing those who used to be under his command. He was telling them of his leaving and ordering them to behave. He was passing his crown. And for the first time in Administration history, it was a peaceful event. No one stood in opposition. No one pulled back their jacket to reveal the butt of a gun. They all were silent when their Leader stepped off the wooden box that served as his stage and put his hand on Xavier's shoulder. Silent when he opened his mouth. Silent when he began to sing.

Nicholas's family was none the wiser when he and Macy turned their backs on the ones they've protected for years. The family had no clue that their brother and his girlfriend were walking out of the subway tunnel as free people. And the ones below their feet had no idea that they would never see the two again.

The apartment exploded to life when they heard two sets of footsteps coming closer at a semi-leisurely pace. Tynisha grabbed the first aid kit from the cupboard and put it in front of her, waiting and staring at the door. Nokia was quick to stand, knowing that she could be tripped over if no one looked down. Stella picked up the small child and balanced her on her hip. Joe and Kevin walked out of Nick's room, faces unreadable. The Professor just lifted his head, wondering how Nicholas would break the news of their leaving to his family.

The door opened, Macy walking in first as Nick held it. Tynisha pulled out two stools, all but dragging both of them over and pushing them into sitting. Nick flicked his head at Macy and the mother got the massage. She quickly pulled the girl's bloodied shirt off her shoulder and began fixing the crudely attached bandages.

Joe and Kevin wanted to say so much to their brother, who was currently mindlessly tracing a pattern on his torn jeans, but they didn't know how to say it. Opening a conversation with 'Oh, so you're the leader of a gang,' didn't seem like a good idea. Thankfully, they were saved from the job of speaking first when Nick opened his mouth.

"You told them?" His voice was weaker than anyone expected, tired and scratchy. Tynisha nodded, not looking up from her task. They watched Macy wince and Stella tried to conceal a smile when Nick's hand covered the brunette's. "Good," but judging from the teen's tone, it was anything but. "It doesn't matter now, anyway," he whispered, his voice still carrying. The Professor looked over, excitement doting the man's face, something to which Nick rolled his eyes at and looked away, mildly annoyed.

"Why's that, hun?" Tynisha asked while turning her attention to Nick now that Macy was taken care of. He didn't speak for a moment, letting his mother's cold fingers probe his black eye while her other hand pressed against his heavily colored chest.

"We're leaving. And we're not coming back."

Tynisha, who was the only one close enough to see the set resolve in the youth's eyes, was also the only one who didn't gasp out from the bluntness of this order.

"Why, honey?" Tynisha asked with forced calm as she carefully lifted her son's shirt off. She bit her lip at the bruises and open wounds which still oozed blood, but said nothing.

Nick closed his eyes for a moment, and nearly leapt out of his skin when Macy pressed an icepack to his eye. She quickly calmed him with a smile and he allowed his eyes to fall closed again, not bothered by the harsh sting of alcohol as his mother tended to his wounds.

"Savage has a Summer home. Someplace safe. If I go with him, you and Nokia will be safe and cared for. You don't deserve to live in this nightmare of a town. I'm getting you out."

Tynisha froze at this news, the cloth in her hand still pressing to a thankfully shallow wound. She stared at her son, who refused to open his eyes. "And what about you?"

Nick could only shrug, but he did answer, if not only for the sake of the green eyed girl that clutched his leg. "Like I said before, I'll help Savage," Nick opened his eyes to send a glare to the Professor, as if daring him to interrupt. "But we'll do it from the Summer home. We can still be together."

Even Nokia didn't catch her older brother's lie.

He looked away from the Professor and to his girlfriend. "Macy's coming too." He turned to address the oldest of the brothers. "Kevin, I would appreciate it if you would go with her while she gets her things. Nothing should happen, but just in case."

The older instantly nodded and stood, as Nick's tone left no room for any contradiction.

Macy waited for Nick's hand to cover her own before she released the icepack. She leaned down and kissed his cheek softly, gaining a small smile. "I'll be back in twenty," she breathed into his ear before she dashed off, the older Lucas on her tail.

"Joseph," the Professor called, oblivious to the growl sent his way from the use the full name, "Will you please call the car rental? We will need another van." The middle brother stalked away, Stella attached to his hip.

The Professor turned and watched as the mother stepped away from her son, only to pull him into a nearly bone crushing hug.

"I'm alright, mom," Nick whispered, his exhausted voice only slightly broken, "I'm okay."

Tynisha pulled away, but did not release her son. "You stupidly glorious boy," she smiled. Nick let out a chuckle, one that only held relief. The mother touched foreheads with the son, identical smiles and looks of love on their faces. "I am so proud of you, Nicholas." She pulled away and began to pack up the medical kit.

"Noki," Nick called tiredly, no hint of his mother's compliment in his tense shoulders. "Pull out the duffle bag under my bed and pack your things. Only the things you need, okay?"

The younger nodded once, but pulled on Nick's free hand. He stared at her for a moment before he opened his arms. She was in them in record time as she clung to her brother and shook. Nick only offered a brief hug, the movement seeming painful to him.

"I'm glad you came home," she whispered before she ran off to do as told.

Nick, now alone with the Professor, just stared at him menacingly. "If you don't uphold your end of the bargain," he threatened, but he didn't get a chance to finish as his mother walked back into the small kitchen. She eyed her son, having seen the dark look in his eye one too many times to be ignorant of what she had just interrupted. She pursed her lips and said nothing of it though; Nick did what he had to to protect them. This was something no amount of punishment or scolding could ever change.

"You should help your sister."

Nick understood the hidden meaning as he dragged himself from the chair and into the room with a door.

The Professor was about to say something, but he was cut off by a finger pointed to his nose. "You take care of my son, got it? I may not look tough, but I grew up here. I know more than Nick thinks I do. I can kick your ass all night long and I _will do so _if you hurt my boy. Understand?"

Savage eyed the woman and took in her too skinny frame and the frail nature of her fingers. But he had no doubt that the woman would do to him exactly as he said. "I will watch out for him," he vowed, though he knew that if anything did happen to Nicholas, Tynisha would never hear about it. Nicholas wouldn't allow him to say.

The woman nodded to herself before she turned and began scrounging up the things she couldn't part with: the misshapen vase Nokia made her when she was in first grade, her apron which Nick had managed to get for her before he joined the Administration, and the only picture she had of the three of them together. She smiled fondly at the younger version of the family, with a red and yellow tent in the background. Nokia, only six, was smiling widely, probably due to the red balloon tied to her wrist and the butterfly painted on her cheek. Tynisha herself looked years younger from the happiness of this easy scene. Even Nick, who had been fourteen when the carnival had come into town, had a smile on his face.

She turned towards her room, but was unsurprised when Nick walked out of it, her bag already neatly packed with her clothes. He wanted to be gone as quickly as he could be, she realized. The teen turned and pulled the duffle bag from his sister's grip and dropped it next to his mother's ratty suitcase. they watched him turn and walk into his room before he emerged with a dusty guitar case on his back. Tynisha started at the sight of the instrument, having thought Nick rid of it awhile ago - probably due to the foot shaped hold in the back of it. But judging by the dust, he had only hidden it away, not willing to part with the only gift his mother had been able to afford him.

"Hun, you should leave that. It was broken awhile ago."

Nick turned his head to the floor as a look of guilt flashed across his face. "I got it fixed," he mumbled for he didn't want to go into details has to _how _he accomplished this. Tynisha sighed once and shook her head, accepting what was pointless to fight about.

Joe walked into the room, confused by the silence. "Alright, the car is here. The driver left it and ran."

Nick snorted once at this, the sound both startling and fitting. "Can't blame the dude."

Joe smiled sadly. "Yeah, can't say I do either."

"Joe!" Stella reprimanded in attempts to remind the brother whom he was talking too.

But Nick just shook his head. "It's okay, Stella. This place is insane."

The blonde was saved from answering when Macy skipped in, her duct-taped backpack on Kevin's shoulders. No one spoke as Nick stood and put on the shirt his mother offered him. He pulled off his gloves, and stared at them for the longest time. They all watched as the gloves were tossed through the air and landed with a slight _thump _at the bottom on the apartment's only trash bin.

Nick picked up his family's bags and nodded to the Professor. "Let's get out of here."

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**August 3rd, 2010; Boston Massachusetts, 2:03 am**

_"I like to make myself believe that planet earth turns slowly..."_

The soft melody hummed from the phonograph in the corner of the small room. The walls, though mostly bare, still had some character in the framed calligraphic name and the few various posters that could label the room's owner as a 'fan.'

Said owner on her bed, situated on her elbows with a furrowed brow and pursed lips.

"No," she whispered to herself as she scratched an entire paragraph from her notebook, "That's not right either. What would Jack Harness _really _do in this situation?" she sighed as the answer didn't come to her. "I am such a failure," she moaned as she fell forward to her forehead was against the mattress. "I can't even write the Eleventh Doctor right!"

She pounded her fist once on her mattress before she lifted her head and pushed her curly mane from her dark eyes.

"Okay," she whispered to herself as she stared at the screen. "Think, Elizabeth."

But that got her nowhere.

She groaned again as she snapped the notebook shut. "How do authors do this?" she asked no one, "How is it so easy for them to pull the ideas from their heads and actually write them down?!"

"It shouldn't be this hard," she whined. She hated how difficult this was for her. So many ideas swirled around in her head; they taunted her when she failed at writing them, and they begged to be written when she gave up. There was no end to this cycle - the ideas were just forever locked inside of her.

So she ended up where she always did when the hour was too late for anyone without insomnia and when her words failed her yet again: Fanfiction. She poured over the Glee and Sherlock fics, squealed happily and ended up crying when Kurt and Blaine ended up happy or when something unexpected happened to her favorite character. She would pout at the cliffhangers and smile at a character's pain, but still want so much more.

More, she realized, that she herself could never seem to give.

She closed the computer screen before she climbed under her blankets, for she felt utterly defeated. _They _had no trouble with writing. It was easy for _them. _One idea turned into countless chapters and amazing plots, things that she was convinced she could never achieve. And it was always this way for her; she always put herself through the same torturous thoughts. She thought she would never be good enough; they would always best her in everything, not just writing. They clearly had everything in their life sorted out enough so it wouldn't block them from making their plotlines come to life.

They, she forced herself to believe, were truly better.

But if only she knew how to get her ideas down, how to shine, how to be the best. If only she was the girl in her dreams. The one whom everyone adored, who had millions of Twitter followers and more Tumblr rebloggs than she could count. The very best.

Lizzy switched off her light and flopped down on her bed. She curled up in the corner and hugged her stuffed bunny tightly.

"One day," she whispered into its floppy ears, "One day that will be me."

As she drifted off, another heard her words. And that other snatched onto her dreams and allowed her to become the girl she already was in the real world. It took her insecurities and stretched them until she pulled completely away from the world she thought she hated. It took her. It took her into the reality that was her dreams.

And so another fell into the clutches of Oneiro.

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**Chibiyu: **_I miss Silver. If she still wrote this, it would easily be over 6,000 words. Sorry it was kind of a filler, but that was the ony kind of chapter that fit. Next one will be better and more entertaining, I promise! Until Next Update! _


	13. New Awakenings

**Chibiyu: **_So...I felt like I needed to get a few things out of the way with this chapter. And introduce a new thing or two of Oneiro. ...I miss Silver :-(_

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**August 3rd, 2010; Somewhere along the New York and New Jersey Border, 6:14 pm**

There had been no question as to who would be in what van. Nothing needed to be said as Nick, Macy and Nokia piled into the very back seat of one, Nick in the middle though he didn't seem to care. The middle two seats were occupied by Kevin and the Professor's briefcase, while the front held the Prof himself and Tynisha. The other van was driven by Joe, and Stella sat beside him - the back too occupied by the groups baggage to have other passengers. They had opted to drive as far away from the city as possible - not to stay the night in the hotel on the outskirts.

The city's dark silhouette had already faded; everyone had watched it shrink into the horizon with different looks of hatred and relief on their faces. And now nothing but the occasional car passed them on the freeway. They had escaped; they were free.

Kevin glanced back and watched Joe and Stella bicker in the car behind them, a small smile on his face. Stella waved her arms dramatically as she spoke in what Kevin assumed to be a loud voice, and Joe just stared at the road, lips pursed and hands tight on the wheel. He chuckled as Joe answered with a short sentence, which caused Stella to pout in a simmered silence.

"How are they not together?" Nick asked as he too watched the scene with exhausted amusement.

Macy laughed at this as she pulled her head away from the crook of Nick's neck. "I don't understand it," she commented, "But it's funny to watch."

Nick agreed with a nod before he planted a kiss to his girlfriend's head. She got the message and resumed her earlier position as she curled up into his side.

"How long have you two been together?" Kevin asked as he watched the interaction with suppressed joy. It pleased him to no end to see that his brother had found something real and something happy in that hell-hole of a town.

The two looked at each other for a moment, both trying to find the answer.

"Four years?" Macy finally said, it sounding more like a question than anything. "I don't know: we didn't have a traditional start to our relationship. But...well we were thirteen when we first kissed."

Kevin, who hadn't been suspecting this at all, drew back in shock.

"Yeah," Macy laughed as she regarded him softly, "Who knew anyone could find love in the Administration?"

"Outside of family, of course," Tynisha inserted as Nokia snuggled closer to her brother, already asleep from the day's excitement. Nick smiled at this and nodded once, arms around both of the girls at his sides.

"Did you leave anyone behind, Kevin?" Nick quietly questioned as he finally contributed to the conversation.

Kevin looked away at this, that enough of an answer for the teen.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, actually meaning the words for once. Kevin looked back and offered a nod in thanks. "Do you regret leaving?"

The older instantly turned to meet his younger brother's curious gaze. "No. I'd have never been reunited with you and Joe if I left. I may have grown up in another family, but _you _both are my family."

Kevin didn't see Nick's reaction for he ducked his head to hide it. Macy, however, offered the older brother a smile and winked at him. She mouthed two words, which took Kevin a moment to catch, but he too ducked his head when he caught them: 'he's smiling.'

"We are a few hours away still," the Professor interrupted the family moment, "Would you all like something to eat?" He gestured to the exit sign.

Tynisha looked to her son as he shook his head, and for once, she agreed with his decision. After today's events, she did not blame him for not wanting anything in his stomach.

"I think we're good," Kevin finally answered, already long-since aware of the haunted look to Nick and Macy's face. "Why don't you both get some shut eye?"

Macy pounced on this advice and closed her eyes, but Nick was hesitant. His eyes darted from the landscape to the occupants of the car. Kevin sighed at the display of nerves, but he understood them. By sleeping, Nick would give up the knowledge of knowing where his family was being taken; the knowledge of how to get away if the need arose. By closing his eyes, even for a moment, he would be putting their safety into the hands of the Professor and his older brother which he only met a few days ago.

Tynisha reached back and patted her son once on the knee, but Nick shook his head at her. Macy sighed loudly and lifted her head so her lips were an inch from Nick's ear.

"You can trust them," she breathed, her words only for him to hear, "Kevin won't let anything happen." But Nick didn't let the tension drain from his shoulders. "If you have nightmares, Nokia and I are right here."

Macy put her head back down and waited for her boyfriend's decision. Relief flooded through her when she felt her head drop as Nick let his shoulders fall. She smiled up to him and kissed under his chin before she wrapped her arms around his torso and settled against him. Nick fought a smile at the warmth that flooded into his chest from the simple gesture as he drew both his sister and Macy closer.

Kevin watched with a smile as Nick let himself relax against Macy, his head on hers. Nick met his gaze for a moment and he understood the message: 'You keep watch.' The older Lucas nodded and Nick let his eyelids drop. Kevin looked away as he tried not to show how much that silent order had startled him. He had seen everything Nick had to grow up with; he shouldn't have expected anything less. But for some reason, the level of paranoia Nick had, even in a car filled with people with good intentions, made Kevin's heart ache.

His brother had learned while he grew to question everyone and everything; to leave no room for anyone he cared for to be hurt. To Nick, every situation meant potential danger - every moment could start a war.

Though on the flipside of it, Kevin was also touched. By handing over the duty of watching, Nick had told Kevin something that he older doubted Nick would ever admit to: he trusted him.

Kevin smiled to himself; Nick trusted him

"Kevin?" he turned to the hushed call of the mother in front of him. "He will loosen up," Tynisha gently told him, having read the troubled look on his face perfectly. "It just needs to sink in that he isn't in the Administration anymore - that everyone isn't out to get us"

Kevin nodded again. "I hope you're right."

Tynisha smiled mysteriously before she pointed to the back seat. "I am."

Kevin followed her gaze and noted the look of absolute calm on all of the faces of the sleeping. Nokia had a small smile on her face as she burrowed further into her brother's hold, Macy, who was still awake, just stared at the man she loved with soft eyes, and Nick was completely relaxed - something Kevin believed he would never see.

"No nightmare?" The Professor asked from the front seat as he too regarded the ones in the back via the rear-view mirror.

Tynisha just shook her head. "He never gets them after such a fight. He's always too exhausted to have them."

Macy nodded once to this, eyes closed as she spoke. "It's tomorrow night that is always bad; always has been. For everyone."

The Professor's jaw set at these words. Tomorrow will be the worst? Then what, he mused, was what he has seen before? Nicholas was closer to becoming victim than his brothers; that much he was able to gather from the way the poisoned dreams reached him after the sun had risen, from how cold his pendant burned in the nights, and how desperate Nicholas was when it came to getting answers. If tomorrow would be worse than before, would Nicholas be strong enough to break free or would it push him over the edge into the final stage of Oneiro's alluring prison?

The Professor scowled as he sped up the car. Tomorrow. He must get Nicholas away from his family before it happened. Set up his lab equipment and monitor it. He had to prevent one of the key-holders from becoming victim to Oneiro. If he couldn't all hope would be lost.

There was no time to waste.

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**_I turned slowly as I looked over the landscape in confusion. The last I remembered was that monster impersonating my mother and attacking me, but she was nowhere to be found. In fact, nothing was anywhere to be found. The tree still loomed over me, but its leaves were gone; the bark was gray and deadened and it flaked to the ground on its own accord. The limbs creaked ominously in the lack of wind, but that was the only sound. The grass, which was normally so vividly painted in purple, was the same fogged color as the bark. Its strands dug into my skin and left longs scraps of torn skin as I stood. _**

**_What happened? _**

**_I spun around and looked for any sign of life. My heart raced with utter confusion and pure fear when nothing stuck out to me. I jumped violently at the tug of the grass cutting into my arm and drawing blood. The sight of the red made the ground break under my feet; I fell into the chained grips of fear and let it wind its way around me as it whispered harsh words. All I could think of was my family and how they too must be dead, how I would find their bones buried in the rubble of our burned home, and how the monsters finally reigned. _**

**_How I was possibly the only living human left. _**

**_I brought my hurt arm up and clutched my pendant as I remained immobile. How could this happen in one night? How could the monsters have such an amazingly powerful influence over everything? One second, my world was full of life, and then it was dead. Another night I was stuck inside a corridor with flickering lights and the monsters grabbing at my brothers and I in the form of shadows and dead children, and then I was back outside. And then it hit me: they were toying with me. I was nothing but a puppet to them. Something to manipulate. _**

**_They were too powerful for anyone to stop them. We were all puppets to them. Just puppets. And what I was seeing now, how could I even know if this was real? And where were the monsters now?_**

**_My breath stopped as another thought entered my head. Why wasn't I eve consciously aware of the changes happening? They only happened when I was..._**

**_Stuck in a dream._**

**_That was it. The dreams! The monsters kept us locked away as they messed with our world by locking us up in our own heads. It made perfect sense. Every time they touched me, my pendant would flare up and I would 'wake up' in a dream. They made an alternate reality for me; something to keep me from interfering. But why? _**

**_My gaze snapped down to my pendant as I recalled the monster who impersonated my mother. They wanted my pendant. Wanted it out of the picture. They feared it. But why?_**

**_Why would they go to so much trouble for it? Surely they could just kill me and take it? So why would they spend the time to create a new life for me outside of here? They gave me a new family - though my brothers did look the same if I recall correctly - and a new life. A horrible one. _**

**_A distracting one. _**

**"Figuring it out?" **

**_I nearly lost my footing as I spun to meet the speaker. I was taken aback by her appearance: she was a little girl, full of life, and smiling at me happily. _**

**"Or are you still confused?" _She laughed, her bright green eyes sparkled with mischief and her cheeks rosy from her smile. She pushed her long blonde hair from her face as she slowly walked over to me. _**

**"Who are you?" **

**_She didn't answer - she only sat and gestured for me to do the same. I hesitated, but she didn't seem to be bothered by the cruel touch of the grass around her, so I followed her lead. _**

**"So I'm not alone?" _I asked, meaning that I wasn't the last person living. _**

**_She laughed, finding this funny. _****"No, you're actually surrounded by the living, but I wanted privacy." **

**"Privacy?" **

**_She nodded once and held out her hand. _****"Take my hand; I want to show you what the things you call monsters are hiding from you." **

**_I slowly put my hand in hers and let go of my nerves when my pendant remained dormant against my skin. She looked at me expectantly. _**

**"You have to channel the power that lies within your pendant. I can't. I just want to see the beauty too, which is why I need to hold your hand."**

**"How?" _I asked, for I yearned to see the beauty that I have known my entire life. She only shrugged once, a smile on her face as my pendant began to warm against my skin. _**

**_I gasped out as patches of color began to grow around us until we sat in a small circle that was filled with life. The girl held out her hand and watched as a butterfly made of pure silver landed on her finger. _**

**_"_****Beautiful," _she breathed as if flew away, only to vanish entirely when it left the circle of purple. _"This circle," she turned her familiar eyes back to me, "Is the only thing that is left of yesterday. The monsters are destroying everything beautiful, pure, and innocent, as you have seen. Even I do not fully exist outside of this circle; I am just a lost soul who is barely holding on. But when I have enough strength gathered, can I assume this form by myself."**

**_I stared at her, only able to see her as I first did - grimy hair, sunken soulless eyes, pale skin: dead. _**

**_She nodded once, a sad smile now on her young face. _****"It's been dark here for too long."**

**"When did the monsters first start coming?" **

**_She eyed me funnily. _****"You don't...you don't remember?" **

**_I shook my head. _****"Should I?" **

**_She pursed her lips, as if angry. _****"Don't believe in this world, Nicholas."**

**"What? This is my home! How can I not believe in it?"**

**_She shook her head. _****"I believed that too, and then I became trapped here. This world isn't the real one. The one you dream of, that one is real. This is a place where dreams come true. A place that used to be so pretty and happy and where good and bad were completely isolated from one another to avoid corruption. But something happened. A seal broke and the bad came spilling into the world that was good and pure. This place is corrupted now. It's making you believe that it is real, but it's not."**

**"That's insane," _I told her, but I kept my hand in hers, wanting her to believe that the beauty wasn't as fake as she wanted me to believe. _"This is real. It always has been."**

**_She shook her head. _****"No. It's just always been here because it is a part of you. Everyone who dreams comes here to experience the dream. Every time you close your eyes, you come here. This is a dream, not reality."**

**"So then you're not real?" _I asked skeptically. _**

**_She laughed, but it was filled with sorrow. _****"I was, once." _I remained silent, captivate by her words though they had to lies. _"The monsters are the reason I am here. Once they broke free, they started gaining power by latching onto living souls and manipulating them. They would scare them, as the monsters are nothing more than nightmares, and then calm them with false happiness. They would con them into taking their hand, into giving up their last link to the real world," _she shot a pointed look to my pendant, _"Whether that thing be memories or a physical object that the wearer was attached to, and as soon as the dreamer willingly gave it, they are taken. In the real world, they entered a sleep without end. In this world, they live on as puppets."**

**"Unless," _she paused as she looked towards me once more, _"The three keys were to come together and close the tears in this world."**

**_"_****Tears?" **

**"Openings that the nightmares create every time a person they want falls asleep. That person generally has power behind them: a strong imagination, an unbreakable will, or something more. Something like the thing that hangs around your neck. That pendant is the reason you can speak with me. The reason why you can see the nightmares for what they truly are. The reason you are so drawn in by this world. Your brothers are only skimming the surface of it. You are in its heart."**

**_I looked outside of our circle, into the death that was around us, words from dream - no, from my real life - echoed in my head as I traced the middle swirl to the Ohm around my neck. '_****_Trance. It is said that while in this trance, the dreamer has an enthralling view of the worlds behind closed lids'_**

**"Oneiro, as you call it, is nearly dead from the evil of the nightmares. It is your job to bring it back to life. To stop the nightmares and seal them away again. To bring back the good. Only then can dreams remain dreams. Only then can they stop influencing others." **

**"And what if I don't?"**

**_The girl stood, her frame tense with the ultimate sorrow. "_****Then both worlds will be doomed." **

**_She pulled her hand form mine as the my pendant returned to a normal temperature. I watched her figure dissolve slowly as the gray crept up her legs. Her eyes sunk in, the shine to her hair was dulled by dirt, and her skin was drained of life. everything about her lacked color. _**

**_Everything but her eyes. _**

Nick opened his eyes and stared blankly at the back of Kevin's chair for a moment, momentarily disorientated as he had forgotten that they were in a car. He pulled away from Macy, eyes lost in thought.

So that was it. That was why he was plagued with the nightmares so frequently. Why he was the one the Professor always stared at. Why he was the only one bothered to question every little thing the Professor did. Because of his pendant. Because it, as the Professor told him, allowed him to see what his brothers couldn't. It made him vulnerable to Oneiro. But it also made him strong.

"Nick?"

He looked over and met Kevin's questioning gaze.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded, not wanting to speak in fear of waking the two next to him.

"Something wake you up?" the older pressed as his brother had only been asleep for an hour, if not less.

Nick didn't answer at first, he just connected eyes with the Professor, and only stared at his green eye. His eyes weren't the only connection Nick made. The Professor saw it, but didn't understand why Nicholas had a look of realization; he only understood that it had to do with whatever dream the younger just woke from.

"Just a dream," Nick finally responded as he tore his gaze away from the Professor's.

"About?"

Nick shrugged, wanting to keep this to himself until he was alone with the Professor. "Nothing special." The Professor saw his lie, Kevin did not.

"We still have awhile on the road," his mother told him, "Go back to sleep."

Nick looked away for a moment. Did he want to sleep after that dream, that encounter? The girl - May - had just told him that he held the key to stopping all of this. That he was drawn in farther than his brothers and therefore, more at risk for his soul being trapped like hers had been before she died. But even while he dwelled on his hidden fears, he felt his head falling forward and his eyes closing. And this is why, he fathomed, the nightmares are so powerful: no one can fight off sleep.

He put his head back on Macy's and closed his eyes. He wanted to fight it, but he knew he would lose. He also knew that tonight is not be the night he should be afraid of. He was too tired to be drawn in by the hideous images, too in shock for him to able to relive them. But tomorrow...

He shuddered at the thought, but ignored his mother when he felt her eyes on him. It seemed impossible to Nick, all of it did. One cannot fight sleep, and with sleep comes the nightmares. But once thing was absolutely sure to him: he had to fight them. They threatened him, his family, and everyone in the entire world. And just because he was out of the Administration, didn't mean that he would stop giving everything to protect the ones he loved.

He would stop this. He wouldn't rest until he did.

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"I don't understand why you all trust him!" Stella brought up again as Joe continued to follow the Professor's car. "For all we know, he could be in the league of people who killed your parents. He sounds like he. He told you that your parents were killed because of your pendants and now he only wants the pendants too. Doesn't that make you suspicious?"

Joe sighed for the umpteenth time that night. "He brought my family back together, Stella. He did what he promised. And you knew him before I did. If he was a suspicious character, then you wouldn't have trusted him."

Stella huffed at this. "I can make mistakes."

Joe rolled his eyes at this and fought the urge to mock that statement. "And _Nick _seems to trust him. If a gang-leader who questions everyone is alright with this, then I am too. _And," _he added when he saw Stella open her mouth again, "If the Prof tried anything, we have a _gang-leader _on our side. I think we'll be fine."

Stella crossed her arms and resumed her pout as she stared out the window. "What if you're not? What if I have to go back to England and tell Mrs. Dean that her only son won't be coming home?"

Joe looked away. "What if we get through this and I don't want to go back?"

"What are you talking about?"

Joe met her gaze for a moment before he looked back to the road. "That was never home to me, Stella. You know how much I disliked following the mannerisms, being called 'Joseph,' and never having a say in anything. I had to be the perfect son of the Deans. I couldn't be me. And now that I found my real family...I'm happier than I ever was. Sure, it's not an ideal relationship I have with my brothers as I just met them, but its growing. I don't want to give this up, Stella. I can't walk away again."

Stella was quiet at this, having no come back.

"I don't know what we'll do once this is over, but I do know that we will be together. All of us. You, me, Nick, Kevin, Nokia, Tynisha, Macy: all of us. We're family now."

"What about Mrs. Dean?"

Joe only shrugged. "I'll call her and tell her my decision when this is over."

Stella looked away. "You'll break her heart."

Joe hung his head as guilt flooded through his aching heart. "I know."

There was a moment of silence before Stella let out a breath. "I still don't trust the Professor. If this is as powerful as he hinted at, then he won't be able to keep you safe."

Joe smiled and looped his free arm around her shoulders. "Will you stop worrying? I'm a big boy, Stella."

She snorted at this and left Joe to act offended. "Please. A 'big boy' wouldn't take baths with Aloe Vera in them or bring his flat iron on the road with him to style his hair."

"Shut up."

Stella smiled in victory and leaned over the center console, taking a risk. "Aw, did I hurt your ego? Let me kiss it to make it better." She gently pecked his cheek and pulled away, laughing to cover her blush.

"Gross!" Joe said after a long moment of silence. He wiped his cheek with a grimace.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Yeah Joe, you're such a 'big boy.'"

Joe only offered a short laugh as the Professor pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road. They neared the Summer home, and Joe felt his stomach drop at the sight of the house. He had wanted to get away from the rich life, and now, he was thrown right back into it.

He was caught in his never ending nightmare.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**August 4th, 2010; Somewhere along the New York and New Jersey Border, 2:12 am  
**_Journal Entry of July 25, 1982_

_Oneiro is an amazing force, but it can still be tamed by the simplest of means. We have tested and tested, and finally we have found something that prevents it from manipulating the dreams of its victims in a harsh way. May was too tired from the day with her father, my son, to have dreams of any significant resonance with Oneiro. There were some fluctuation, for all dreams are caused by Oneiro, but nothing that drastically was altered. May's mind was the same as it was before - that of a heavy dreamer with a bigger and happier imagination than most kids. If she had been touched again by Oneiro's power, Thomas had no doubt that the girl would be faced the happiest moment of her life - her mother being alive and well. She would have been able to speak with her again. But her father ruined that moment for her, and put us several steps back. _

_With each failure, Oneiro grows restless, as do we. We feel its need, its want, to help human kind, just as it knows of our want to control it. Why else would be it so easy for us to observe it and yet so hard for us to figure it out? _

_My son warns us that we are becoming obsessed with our dream - that Oneiro is in our heads and controlling our actions. I say that it is in his - making him distract us from the larger picture, while he blathers about his daughter's mental health degrading. _

_Nothing is bad about this. Nothing. We are helping the child. She is happier now. Her mind is fine. _

_Oneiro is a blessing to the world. _

_()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()() _

**Chibiyu: **_Wrote this in one go, more or less. I really do miss Silver. Until Next Update! _


	14. Metaverse

**Chibiyu: **_Alright, I'm having issues with writing again._

**Nick: **_Yay!_

**Chibiyu: **_Doesn't mean I won't have fun trying though!_

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**Joe only offered a short laugh as the Professor pulled off the highway and onto a dirt road. They neared the Summer home, and Joe felt his stomach drop at the sight of the house. He had wanted to get away from the rich life, and now, he was thrown right back into it. **

**He was caught in his never ending nightmare.**

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**August 4th, 2010, Somewhere in Egypt, 11:32 pm**

Though Oneiro was quiet to some, it still plagued the minds of many. It's new target was a girl who lied on her bed, eyes on the stucco ceiling as she traced the many ridges. Her thoughts, which would normally be on a fictitious horse that raced through the grooves above her head, were clogged with the words from her older brothers. She had just pointed something out to their father - something about the boys not being in their rooms last night and her questioning where they may have been. She never meant for it to escalate into such a fight. Now she would be lucky if they even looked at her - she had unintentionally ruined whatever progress she had made with their relationship.

She turned her head to stare at the window as her self-hatred turned to wonder. Did anyone know how she felt right now? They all claimed to know her well enough, but she knew otherwise: they only knew the girl she made herself to out to be. They saw the vivacious reader and the smile of curiosity, but not the pain she hid or the fear she ran from. They didn't know what she wished and dreamed for. She simply didn't allow them to know.

She would stare up into the hazy Egyptian night sky and wish as hard as she could on the first star she managed to me. She would wish for the confidence to put herself out in the world and throw off her mask. She wished that she would be able to let go of her self-conscious nature and believe in herself. She wished that she knew the answer to the question of who she loved the most. She wished to be a better version of herself. Wished that the words of those close to her didn't leave her reeling in pain; wished that they could see her tears behind her smile.

She wished she rode the horse she imagine every night as it jumped, curved, raced, and overcame the unending track above her head. What an exhilarating feeling: to race through an uncharted area with no one to judge you, surrounded by the others who dared to take the journey with you. The others who accepted you.

She wanted that. She wanted to be happy, to be accepted, and in that acceptance, to be successful.

And every time she closed her eyes to dream, she was that perfect girl who lived that perfect life.

"You're such a tattle, Dina! I can't believe I can't trust my own sister!"

The voices drifted through her partially opened door. Tears welled in her eyes and she forced herself to face the wall so her sorrow would remain unseen. It was just too much for her to handle. All she wanted to do was to escape, to become the girl she dreamed of without having the fear that she did.

So she did the only thing she knew how to in order to get there: she closed her eyes and let her breath slow. She let herself fall into the awaiting hands of the dreams she thought she loved. She let herself be taken.

()()()()()()()()

**August 4th, 2010; Somewhere along the coast of Maryland, 12:03 am**

Nick jolted out of his slumber when the closing of a car door both shook the car and loudly sounded. He blinked furiously as he tried to clear his vision, fists already balled while his heart pounded.

"I'll get Nokia, hun, if you get Macy," the quiet voice of his mom pulled him from his stupor. He nodded once as her face swam into his view and his fingers loosened. He helped pull off his sister's seatbelt and helped maneuver her safely into their mother's arms. He watched with a small smile as her young arms wrapped around Tynisha's neck.

He watched her walked up to the mansion-like Summer home, his breath caught in his throat as he stared at the structure. Though it was night, the walls were lit, which revealed an ancient-looking wooden door, its intricate design shadowed, dark wooden windows to accent the light hue of the siding, a paved walkway, beautiful flowers, and a giant lush yard. The youth couldn't help but let his mouth drop slightly; luxury like this was supposed to only exist in Nokia's stories. And yet, here it was in front of him. Here it was, all for his mother and his sister. And for him, if he did return.

"You coming?" Nick stared at the face his perfectly manicured brother, "I know; it's crazy isn't it? Stella told me the Prof was rich, but I didn't except to come back to this." Joe quickly added this next part as he saw Nick's confusion: "I came from money and came with the Prof to find you both and to get away from it. Trust me, it's not all happiness and roses like the fairytales say."

Joe withdrew his head as he didn't want to go into further detail about this right now. Instead he just chose to watch his younger brother carefully gather his girlfriend in his arms and whisper something in her ear. The brunette nodded sluggishly and wrapped her arms around Nick's neck gently as he moved her out of the car.

"Follow me, the Prof already has the rooms scouted out. Your mom and Nokia are right next to you, as is Macy. We're across the hall."

Nick nodded once, too tired to form a sentence so he just blindly followed his brothers. Though even in this state, his eyes still flickered over to the trees that surrounded the house when a bird left its perch or when a rabbit crunched the underfoot leaves.

When Macy was deposited in the plush bed, she opened her eyes and smiled up to Nick, her arms still around his neck. "Need a teddy-bear tonight?" she breathed into his ear. Nick smiled at her and pushed her grim-covered hair from her eyes, letting her interpret his answer. "I'll wait up," she told him before she kissed his jaw and released him. "Don't stay up too late talking, okay?"

Nick only offered a shake of his head before he headed out the door to where his brothers and the Professor was gathered.

The old man nodded once in greeting before he jumped right into the hushed conversation. "We must go to my lab across town. Tonight."

"No," Nick whispered the first word he has spoken in hours. "Tomorrow night."

Kevin nodded in agreement, noting how Nick's eyes had darted to the shared room which housed his mother and sister. "Certain people would never forgive us if we left without a proper goodbye," he elaborated when Nick offered no other words.

The Professor pursed his lips, obviously displeased by this.

"Besides," Joe inserted when the Professor opened his mouth, "I doubt anything will happen tonight - I doubt any of us want to dream tonight. It's all about the willingness to dream and to remember them, and after sitting through what we did, or experiencing it like Nick did, I think we'll be safe."

The Professor pursed his lips, though he knew it to be true from his own experience with his daughter. "Alright. One day here and then to my lab tomorrow night. When the nightmares, according to Tynisha, will be the most violent." The Professor's eyes were only on Nick's as he said this, as if he was looking for confirmation.

Nick nodded once to him before the elder bade the brothers a goodnight. But the teen wasn't quite done. "Did your daughter have green eyes?"

The Professor stilled completely at this and his head slowly turned to stare at the youngest of the four. "What did you say?"

Kevin and Joe both stopped in their doorways as well, confused at the question.

"Did she have green eye?" Nick repeated, eyes narrowed in what the brother's could only describe as analytical suspicion. "Was she about this tall?" He held up his hand to just about his waist. "Did she have long blonde hair, presumably taken from her mother's side?"

"H-how...?" the Professor managed to stutter out as his heart hammered loudly against his ribcage.

Nick didn't answer that. "Is it true that our ancestors managed to open the seal, and it was them who leaked the nightmares into Oneiro, which in turn corrupted the dream world?"

"Nicholas, h-how do you know this?"

"And is it true," Nick finished with a question that he didn't have an answer too, "That they created the Ohm around our necks to be more in-tune with Oneiro, instead of to stop the damage they created?"

The Professor was hunched over, hand on his heart as he processed the knowledge the boy had. "Nicholas, tell me how you know this!"

Nick shrugged once before he pressed his back to Macy's door, his hand on the knob. "May told me."

He vanished in the room before the Professor had time to gasp out from this. "Boys," he managed to whisper, "Be ready for tomorrow. We cannot waste another moment."

"Why? What's going on? Who's May?!" Joe and Kevin both shouted in hushed screams, but the older man had already scuttled down the stairs with a panicked look to his face.

"A girl with green eyes?" Joe questioned as he turned back to his older brother, "Why is that familiar to me?" Joe looked towards Nokia's room, but he knew that the memory of the eyes didn't come from her.

Kevin could only shake his head, the description also bringing up the vague feeling that he too knew the girl. "I don't know, Joe. But we should talk about this tomorrow, when the Professor is less freaked out and Nick is willing to explain more." Joe nodded once at this. "Goodnight, bro."

"Night."

As the two older snuggled under their covers in their separate rooms, Nick pressed himself closer to Macy, afraid to close his eyes.

"I'm right here, Nick," she whispered as she burrowed closer into his chest, her own arms wrapped securely around him. "You'll be fine. They're only nightmares."

Nick sighed, his chin resting on top of her head and the words: 'if only you knew,' caught between his tongue and locked lips. "That's not it," he stated lightly, but was ignored as Macy spoke over him.

"And I'm not leaving you alone with that man," she whispered, having heard the conversation, and she unknowingly made the perfect lead in to what Nick had been trying to say before.

"I need you to. I need you to stay here and protect my family. Can you please do that for me, Mace?" The distress in Nick's voice was enough to tell the girl why the teen wasn't keen on sleeping.

The girl sighed dramatically to show her distaste, and to bring the small smile back onto her boyfriend's face. "Fine, I'll babysit for you," she drew out as if this would be the hardest task in the world. "Nokia won't leave my sight. Girlfriend's honour," she swore and was reward with the feeling of Nicks' chest rumbling as he chuckled.

"You're amazing," Nick muttered as he kissed the top of her head.

"I know," Macy joked before she pushed Nick off of his side and used his chest as a pillow. "That's why you love me."

Nick laughed once again, but he shook his head at her in an endearing way. "Goodnight, Macy."

"Night, Nick."

()()()()()

When the morning came, Tynisha was hardly surprised to see Macy's door cracked open and Nokia firmly snuggled on Nick's free side by the edge of the bed, with her older brother's arm wrapped tightly around her in case she rolled too far. She smiled at the scene as she leaned against the doorframe, a sad picture of happiness on her young face.

"Are you okay?"

The mother started slightly at the quiet voice, but before she could turn and see how spoke, the figure leaned on the wall across from her and peeked in.

Stella smiled as the sight as well, only to roll his eyes. "I wouldn't have guessed..." she trailed off, eyes only on the supposedly tough-natured boy. "Actually, yeah, I would have," she corrected after a moment of silence when the youngest shifter closer to her brother.

"She'll be devastated when Nick leaves," Tynisha breathed out, but it was her own heart which ached from the awful knowledge.

"He'll come back, though," Stella reassured her, a careful hand placed on the mother's arm. "The Professor told me countless times that this mission won't do anything harmful to the boys. After all, dreams can't hurt us, right?"

Tynisha let her head fall so the girl couldn't see her face through her curtain of fresh-washed hair. "There is a saying, Stella: if you die in your dreams, then..."

"No!" Stella cut across her, careful to keep her voice at the same volume, though her tone cut through the air and smacked the woman in the face. "They _will _be fine. Nick will come back to you, Kevin will go back to his old family, and Joe..."

"Will come back to you?" the mother asked with a knowing and teasing smile.

Stella blushed, but refused to agree with that statement. "I'm going to eat. Need help waking them up?"

The subject change was not lost to the mother, who had to cover her mouth to not laugh. "No, go on. Nick will help me with that, I'm sure."

The blonde mouthed Nick's name once before she peeked in the room , her blush deepening when she met the pair of open eyes. He offered her a good-natured wave and even went as far as to smile at her obvious embarrassment.

"Sorry," Stella quickly whispered, "I didn't mean to wake you!"

Nick rolled his eyes once at this. "You didn't. Mom did."

At the blame, Tynisha faced her son. "What? How?"

Nick shrugged, his movements getting Macy to stir. "You were staring at me."

Tynisha let out a light laugh and put her hands on her hips. "I can't win with you, can I?"

"No one can, Tynisha. Trust me; I've tried," Macy spoke out, voice cracked from sleep.

Nick chuckled lightly before he kissed the top of her head with a smile. Stella was shocked by this, not by the actions, but how different Nick already seemed without the threat of the Administration looming over him. His shoulders were still tense and eyes still hardened, but there was a softness to his face that hadn't been there yesterday, and a carefree way his fingers played with his sister's hair.

"Come on, Noki," he coaxed gently as Macy sat up and rubbed her eyes, "Time to face the day."

"No!" the younger grumbled in protest as she burrowed closer to her brother's warmth.

Nick laughed again and sat up, picking the nine year old up, and placed her in his lap. Nokia huffed at the movement and her eyes cracked open to glare tiredly at her big brother.

"No fair," she pouted, arms now crossed. Nick didn't answer, but the cocky smile on his face said it all. He stood, sister's feet now placed on the ground with one hand locked firmly in hers, the other being offered to his girlfriend. She slapped it away playfully, and told them about catching a shower before she ate.

While Tynisha directed the brunette to the bathroom, Macy's tattered pack in her hand, Stella gestured the others to follow her down the spiral-carpet stairs and through the plain hall whose walls were covered in replica's of famous garden paintings, and finally to the old-style kitchen.

"Morning!" Stella happily greeted the tired faces gathered around the large circular wooden table. She plopped down next to Joe, Nokia and Nick followed suit on her other side, leaving Nick next to his oldest brother.

"Rough night?" Nick guessed as he leaned over to grab the pitcher of juice, eyes on Kevin. The bags under his eyes were answer enough, though Kevin nodded all the same. "Yeah, that will be me tonight"

"How do you do it?" Kevin asked in a whisper, eyes focussed on Nick pouring his drink.

"Do what?"

"Deal with it?"

Nick set down the pitcher lightly, expression dark, but thoughtful. "I don't deal with it; I'm just used to it," came his rather bitter reply.

"Alright," the Professor's voice cut across the whispering brothers as he sat across from them all. "Stella and Nokia, I apologize, but I am addressing the boys right now. I don't mean to be rude and ignore you both, but this is important."

The girls nodded, knowing enough from the Prof's stressed tone to judge the seriousness of this next conversation.

"What's up, Prof?" Joe joked in efforts to lighten the mood, but the Professor's scowl only deepened.

"Joseph, please."

"It's Joe!"

"Now is not the time!" the Professor finally yelled, hands brought down on the table. Nokia instantly shrank back, Stella jumped, Joe stared in surprise, Kevin blinked at the display, and Nick's fingers curled into fists, brow furrowed. "I apologize. But the situation could be more dire than I first expected."

No one lost their defensive and shocked posture at this.

"Joseph," the Professor addressed him, "Tell me about your dreams again."

So Joe retold; went more in-depth about his nightmares and how horrible they made him feel until he realized they weren't true anymore. How he wasn't alone anymore. And he told of his better dreams; the ones where his family had never been split apart, where their family was alive and all of they were happy. And there was a silent moment when a blush spread across his face, and his eyes darted quickly to Stella.

"While you are dreaming, does it feel like a dream?"

Joe thought about this question for a moment. "For the most part...it's hard to tell. In the nightmares, it generally ends in a way that could never happen in real life, so it's obvious then. But in my normal dreams, they feel real until I wake up."

"And you know they were just dreams immediately after you woke up?"

"Yes," Joe confirmed with a nod.

"Do you remember all of them?"

Joe tapped the table once, eyes lost in thought. "Most of them. There are a few of them that I remember for a few minutes, and then they're gone. But I remember the nightmares clearly; but the faces are always blurred.

The Professor turned to Kevin and asked him the same thing.

Kevin nearly repeated what Joe did, word for word. The only difference was that he would immediately recognize the dreams as dreams, and sometimes, wouldn't dream at all.

The Professor nodded once, eyes switching between the two. "You both are still in the early stages. You are at low risk to be taken by Oneiro: to fall into a sleep in which you could never wake. To be captured by the nightmares."

"Nicholas," the Professor called, but the teen already stared him directly in the eye.

"How come you're not affected by it? You are obsessed with Oneiro," the teen questioned, tone not one to mess with, "It would seem you would be vulnerable as well. So why aren't you?"

The Professor only shook his head once. "I just don't dream."

Nick's eyes narrowed at this. "Everyone dreams," he contradicted harshly.

"Perhaps I am affected, Nicholas," the Professor shot back, already tired of this conversation.

Nick blinked once and leaned back in his chair. "May?" he guessed once, knowing he was right when the Professor's eyes fell back onto the table. "You know, Professor, how do we know that this...mission...isn't only for your own selfish means? You know too much about Oneiro; you're obsessed with it because it took your daughter. That could be dangerous to me and my brothers. What if we come into contact with May?"

The Professor's eyes shot up at this as he glared accusingly towards the male. "You already have."

Nick neither agreed nor denied this, he only crossed his arms. "Answer the question."

The Professor sighed once, seeing that the only way the teen would cooperate with him was that if he too cooperated. "I lost my daughter years ago; I've accepted her death."

"But you still want her back."

"Of course I do!"

"So what will you do if I told you that I've met her in Oneiro?"

The Professor, though he had expected this, fell silent for he did not expect the ex-gang-leader to openly admit this.

"After all, you do know that sealing the hole our ancestors created will, in turn, seal her away as well?" Nick pressed, not even sure of this himself.

The Professor hung his head. "I will still dream of her, that much will be unavoidable."

"But she won't seem alive. We close the seal and she goes away."

"Then I will be left with my memories of her!" the Professor fought back, though in his heart he knew that he was only trying to convince himself. "She is gone, Nicholas. I've accepted this."

Nick shrugged, not bothered to push the man any harder, so he remained silent. "My dreams," he added to the silence after a moment to circle back to the Professor's original questions, "Are different than my brothers. But you expected that, didn't you?"

The Professor nodded once. "But to what extent?"

Nick stared at the man for a second longer. "To the point where I'm aware and yet I am not."

This was vague enough for the ones at the table to stare at confusion, but for the Professor to blanch, hand on his heart.

"That far?" he gasped out, in shock that Nick could nod so calmly at it. "This is bad, Nicholas!"

"It's Nick," he finally corrected, feeling a lot like Joe. "And I know. But I'll will be fine; I know more than your daughter did."

The Professor pursed his lips as he leaned closer to the young man. "Don't underestimate it, Nicholas. Oneiro is not something to be trifled with. It is a part of you, as it is to all of us. It knows you better than you know yourself. It can break you within a single night."

Nick stood slowly, his stomach still not feeling up to food, and said: "Then why hasn't it already?"

Macy slowed entered the room, her belly-shirt showing off her elaborate rose tattoo. Nick slid past her, fingers automatically tracing a swirled stem, before he climbed the steps. Macy turned her attention to the ones at the table, a small knowing smile on her face.

"He being a party-pooper?" she guessed before she slid into Nick's old chair. "Typical," she laughed once as she tried to ignore everyone's ogled gaze at her ink.

"That's so awesome!" Stella finally compliment, a smile in her eyes and mouth still open. "Did it hurt?"

Macy laughed openly at this. "Uhhm, only a lot!" she admitted with a blush, but the smile was still there. "Anyway, let's ignore my tattoo for a minute and talk about my boyfriend, shall we?"

Everyone fell silent at this.

"Nick is special," she joked lightly though she meant it, "Think about it: we grew up in a less than stellar environment, _and _he is used to being in control. Now Nick is smart too: he knows he isn't in the Administration anymore, but old habits die hard. My advice? Give him time and let him adjust, and then he will star contributing more to the party. Got it?"

Everyone nodded at the brunette's piece of wisdom.

"Good!" she clapped her hands together and smiled once at Stella. "Now please pass the toast: I'm starving!"

()()()()()()()()

**August 4th, 2010; Somewhere along the coast of Maryland, 11:43 am**

The Professor, finally alone in his study, fervently flipped to one of the last pages in his father's journal. Something Nicholas had said...he needed to confirm it before he took the boys to his lab for observation.

_Oneiro is a strange force indeed. It's power is intoxicating and it's voice is nothing less than the chorus of angels. Even as I write this, I can hear it calling out to me, wanting to tell me it's deepest secrets, but it tells me that I am not yet ready for it. That it needs to prepare me a little more for the greatness it holds. That we need something more. _

_But Thomas is getting weary of this power. He says Oneiro is a part of all of us, which is correct, but he also says that is knows us better than we do. That the nightmares will use us for their own gain. That we are going in too deep and it is getting dangerous. But he doesn't understand. The nightmares are safely sealed away in the farthest corner; they are not to be feared! He may see his dead children while he sleeps, but that is all he can ever see. He fails to see the bigger picture. Fails to see the absolute beauty that is being offered to us. He has only skimmed the surface of it - I am at its heart. _

_Which is why when the Ohm pendants, the keys, are created, I will receive the 'Trance' segment. I can barely contain my excitement at this thought. But Thomas is slacking when it comes to creating them. We need his mind to do this. After all, without the pendants, we will just be observers from afar. Oneiro needs us to get the keys in order to tell us what it wants to tell us. Such a power...we need it. _

_Oneiro needs us to need it._

_But more importantly, it needs us. When it decides that we are worthy of it, we, I, shall only serve it. I shall be in the midst of the beautiful wonderland. I shall rule it, as Oneiro told me. _

_Oneiro and I...together, will be unstoppable. _

Savage looked over the top of the ragged journal and sighed deeply. It was as he suspected, only to a much lesser level. Nicholas was on the path for danger, but he had yet to reach the fork that could either send him back to the beginning stages or to tumble into the clutches of Oneiro, of obsession. Like his father had. Like he was very close to doing, only in a different form.

His father used to be weary of the power; wanted nothing more than to study it and, in a way, respect it. But this man who had written the last entries was not the man who raised him. This was the kind of man who used the brains of their youngest recruit, the Lucas boys' father, for his own gain. The kind of man who wanted power and was greedy enough to give up his own mortality to get it. Only then, this man didn't realize, or didn't want to realize, that he would have to give up his life to live with the dreams - to be tortured by the nightmares for all eternity. To have his negative emotions be their energy source: to be the food that made the nightmares all the more stronger.

His father never realized that he was being manipulated; that was how he was drawn in so easily. But Savage himself knew, and by the sound of it, Nicholas was cottoning on as well. To Savage, Oneiro avoided him - it _knew _that he could seal away the nightmares and keep it from leaking into the real world. It avoided him, so therefore, he wasn't affected. And if Nicholas was correct, it May was still out there in Oneiro, if she still was strong enough to have her own mind untouched by the nightmares, then she was avoiding him as well.

And this very thought made the Professor's heart ache with unanswered questions. Why would she avoid him? If she was still out there in the metaverse, why wouldn't she tell him everything that she knew? Why wouldn't she help him? Be with him?

Was he that much of a disgrace to her?

"Savage?"

The Professor jumped at the call and met the uncaring face of Nicholas.

"We leave when Nokia is asleep, alright?" Nick all but ordered.

The Professor sighed once before he consented with a nod. "Fine, fine." He had heard what had been unspoken, and he knew how hard it was to say a possible eternal goodbye. "Inform your brothers, will you?"

"Already did."

The Professor closed the journal and regarded the teen analytically. "You have something more to ask?"

Nick nodded, though his posture was unsure: his fingers twisted with the hem of his clean shirt, eyes darted nervously around the room, and he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"Nicholas?" Such a show of emotion had even the Professor worried for the usually stoic boy. "What is it?"

Nick looked to his feet. "I know I'll have nightmares tonight," he whispered to the floor, "And I know they'll be bad. I know you'll want me to tell them to you, but..."

"Actually," the Professor cut across him easily during the hesitation. "My father and yours invented a way for me to see what you're dreaming. Our parents have put a lot of effort into all of this, Nicholas. Your father especially. Thomas Lucas wanted nothing more than to study the dream world and learn from it. He wanted to experience it in the safest of ways. It was my father who wanted the more. And together, they accomplished wonderful things. Some good, and some bad."

"So you will be able to see everything we that we see?" Nick summed up with a simple question.

The Professor nodded once. "See and hear. And if need be, there are ways to pull you out of Oneiro before one of the nightmares gets to close. But those are untested, so I would rather not use them."

"Great," Nick muttered under his breath, his posture changing from unsure to one of offense. "Then hear my advice," he suddenly fired to the eccentric-looking man with a heated voice, "When you see May, keep a level head."

The Professor mouthed the words: 'when I see May,' before he spoke again. "I assure you, Nicholas, seeing my daughter will not affect me. I have seen her for her entire life. Nothing about her will surprise me."

Nick sighed as he crossed his arms. "But you've never seen her the way I do," he stated before he backed out of the room. "Remember what I said."

"Nicholas?!"

The teen stuck his head back in the door.

"Do not worry about what I may or may not do. Worry only for yourself."

Nick smirked once and rolled his eyes. "I'm not worried about you," he bluntly stated, "But seeing as you're the one who knows the most about this whole situation, it would be the best thing for me and my brothers if you kept a level head."

The Professor had to smile at this, amused by such antics. "So you worry for me because you worry for yourself?"

Nick nodded once. "And others."

Savage leaned back in his chair as he let the silence close in. The two stared at each other for a moment longer before Nick shrugged and walked away, suspicion in his eyes once again.

There, the Professor mused, is another difference in Nicholas; he only looks at the larger picture. It is never about him. Oneiro, the Professor thought with vigor, surely knows this. It will use it against him. But how? Will it force him to think only for himself or will it bring his family into play? How will it manipulate him? And most importantly, will Nicholas be strong enough to see through its trickery?

The Professor sighed once again. At least, he consoled himself, Nicholas came from what he did. He will always question the world around him, always fail to believe in it until it is proven true.

But if the Professor hadn't found Nicholas, then he may have been taken by the dreams in the days that followed. And Savaged thanked the Heavens that he had found the boy when he did. That he, in some accounts, was able to open all of the brothers' eyes to the danger and to the reality of it all. For Nicholas, this, in the long run, will make it harder for Oneiro to drag him in.

Though in the end, the Professor had a horrible notion that Oneiro, that the nightmares, would get their way. That in the end, the brothers would fail. In the end, they all would be captives of their own imaginations.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

**Chibiyu: **_So the next chapter will be more fun to write...I hope. I may turn on the tears as well, if I feel like it haha. Until Next Update!_


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